Is Lionel Messi the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo looking to leave Man United?

Cristiano Ronaldo is determined to leave Manchester United. However, could Lionel Messi be the reason behind his decision?

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Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo is locked in an intriguing saga, as he is looking to leave English giants Manchester United. After nearly a month since the news broke, the Portuguese arrived in Manchester on Monday. He met with top club officials at Carrington on Tuesday, along with his agent Jorge Mendes and personal manager. They met United CEO Richard Arnold, along with new head coach Erik ten Hag and legendary former boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Apparently, the talks did not materialise between the two parties, as Ronaldo is still determined to leave, while ten Hag continues to have him in his plans. Meanwhile, it is presumed that Ronnie could have multiple reasons to leave Old Trafford, including Arentine superstar Lionel Messi.

Image Credit: Cristiano Ronaldo Instagram

Two prime reasons were reported earlier when Ronaldo expressed his desire to leave United. The first and foremost happens to be the lack of UEFA Champions League (UCL) football, as the Red Devils play the UEFA Europa Lague (UEL) this season after finishing sixth in the English Premier League (EPL) last season.

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For the second reason, Ronaldo was not impressed by how United dealt with its transfer market activities. Although the club has completed three signings this season, it has acted at a snail-like slow pace, which has irritated the Portuguese. Nevertheless, the Red Devils continue their activity in the window, with a couple more players tipped to join ahead of the upcoming season.

However, it seems like a third reason could be behind the same. As per The Athletic, it is related to UCL, but the bigger picture is around his rival, Messi. While Ronaldo is the highest goal-scorer in the UCL (140), 15 ahead of Messi, he is still three goals behind, scoring the most in the UCL group stage, a record that he is currently eyeing.

Mendes has offered Ronnie to several top European clubs, most of whom rejected the chance. While a return to his boyhood club Sporting Lisbon is being tipped, the club lack funds to afford his wages. Also, a new report suggests he could be offered to Italian giants Napoli on loan for a season, with United determined to keep him until 2024.