Will it be Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi again? Man United icon now linked to Marseille
FollowAccording to reports in France, Marseille could make a move for Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. Will the legendary striker consider the option which will see him face PSG star Lionel Messi in Ligue 1 and Champions League.
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Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United remains a subject of speculation this summer. With the Portuguese icon desperate to play Champions League this season, his agent Jorge Mendes has been scrambling across European clubs in the transfer window but has been unlucky to find a suitor yet. Reports now suggest that French club Marseille could make a move for the prolific striker, which will reignite the Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi rivalry in Ligue 1.
Also read: Is Cristiano Ronaldo's age an issue for Manchester United? Erik ten Hag speaks up
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Ronaldo, who missed a bulk of Manchester United's pre-season due to 'family reasons, has not been a regular feature in new manager Erik ten Hag's plans. Although the Dutchman has insisted that the Portugal talisman remains a critical plan of his sporting project, the fact that the 37-year-old has not been a regular feature in the team's starting XI in the Premier League season has sparked rumours of friction between the two.
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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner could only make the bench during their recent 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, sparking speculations that he could be out the door in the coming days. Ronaldo's Instagram post following the win in which he thanked the club and supporters at the Theatre of Dreams has added more fuel to the fire.
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Several high-profile clubs have already ruled themselves out of signing him - Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, to name just a few. Now reports in France claim French giants Marseille could make a move for Ronaldo. This prospect has got football enthusiasts excited about the idea of the epic clash between the Portuguese icon and Messi in Ligue 1 as well as the Champions League.
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Considered two of the greatest footballers of all time, they shared their bulk of rivalry in Spain when Ronaldo played for Real Madrid and Messi for Barcelona. The two have played against each other on 34 occasions, the majority being El Classico match-ups – and it's the Argentine legend that has the edge over his contemporary with 15 wins to Ronaldo's 10.
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While their goalscoring records are remarkably similar, Messi has provided significantly more assists but Ronaldo has been more prolific from the penalty spot in their El Classico battles. The seven-time Ballon d'Or scored 21 goals, 11 assists and 6 penalties, while the Portuguese icon scored 20 goals, 1 assist and 9 penalties.
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Former Arsenal star Samir Nasri has told Ronaldo to rip Manchester United's contract apart and consider the Marseille transfer. Nasri, who came through the Ligue 1 outfit's youth set-up and played for the first team between 2004 and 2008, has insisted that the 37-year-old superstar should be open to joining Marseille.
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"I have a solution for him (Ronaldo). He can terminate his contract, they give him half his year, and in Marseille, they make an effort, they give him something and he comes to play in the Champions League. A Cristiano Ronaldo-Alexis Sanchez attack looks good," the former Arsenal star told Canal+ Sport.
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Ronaldo claimed earlier this month that he would set the record straight in an interview "in a couple of weeks". While fans await for the Manchester United icon to break his silence, they cannot stop getting excited about a mouth-watering contest between the Portuguese legend and Messi if the former chooses to switch to Ligue 1 football.
