Former Chelsea star, Tony Cascarino has suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United because of Paris-Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi.

Cascarino said Ronaldo is worried Messi would usurp him as the most prolific UEFA Champions League goalscorer.

According to him, Ronaldo wants to play in the UEFA Champions League because he wants to be the greatest goalscorer of all time in the competition.

On Saturday, Ronaldo reportedly informed Manchester United to consider his departure from the club if they receive a suitable bid.

“Ronaldo is a player, as always, that has an ego. A lot of it is about him, but the teams he’s played in have been successful, so you always go with that as a team player. Great, he scores goals; he gets the accolades; he’s one of the greatest that has ever played the game. You can have all that, and that is fine, as long as you are winning,” Cascarino told talkSPORT.

He added: “When you don’t win, now you have got a problem. I said to you off-air, I’m a bit suspicious because he has scored 141 goals in the Champions League.

“Messi has got 125. He doesn’t want to not play Champions League football because he wants to be the greatest Champions League goalscorer of all time, and that is how Ronaldo is made.”

For the first time in two decades, Ronaldo will not play in the UEFA Champions League if he stays at Man United.

The former Real Madrid star has been linked with Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.