Cristiano Ronaldo Ready To Take A Pay Cut To Leave Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to take a pay cut in order to leave Manchester United, as he is desperate to play in the Champions League next season.

United were rocked at the weekend by the news that Ronaldo has asked the club for a transfer, less than a year after he returned to them following 12 years away.

Whilst the club are determined to keep hold of him, the 37-year-old isn't really the kind of player to stick around if he wants to leave, and his age and the position United are in hardly makes him likely to stay an extra year, as he did in 2008.

Until there's a bid of some sorts there's no chance of him leaving and, considering his over £500,000-a-week wages, it's no certainty a bid will be incoming, even if Chelsea are eyeing a move.

However, the latest twist is that Ronaldo is ready to take a 'considerable' pay cut in order to challenge for the Champions League, or at very least domestic titles, according to the Independent.

The report claims that the forward's initial sounding out of clubs didn't lead to any real interest, and that's why he's willing to be paid less.

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United last season.

As well as the Chelsea link, which initially came about when the club's new owner reportedly met with the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, there has been other clubs mentioned.

Bayern Munich are another side who have been rumoured to hold an interest, with the club's striker Robert Lewandowski still being chased by Barcelona.

There could also be a reunion with Jose Mourinho, the man who turned Ronaldo into a number nine at Real Madrid, with Roma also reportedly wanting to sign the five time Ballon d'Or winner.

A move to the Italian capital is highly unlikely considering they won't be in next season's Champions League and look well off challenging AC Milan, Inter Milan or even Juventus for the title.

Surely Ronaldo and Mourinho won't be reunited. Image: Alamy

Part of Ronaldo's desperation to play in the Champions League, aside from the fact he's not been out of it since 2002 with Sporting, comes from wanting to holding on to his record.

No one has scored as many in the competition as the former Juventus player, having scored 140 times across three different teams.

Arch nemesis Lionel Messi is on 125 and, despite a poor first season at PSG, the Argentina forward still managed to score five times in Europe in the campaign.

Messi has two years on his rival as well so a season without Champions League football for Ronaldo would put him under genuine threat of losing that record.

Last year the United player even lost a record to Messi, when the PSG man scored against RB Leipzig, the 38th opponent he'd scored against in the Champions League, only for Ronaldo to bring up his 39th against Atalanta.

Ronaldo's rivalry with Messi could lead to him leaving United. Image: Alamy

If Ronaldo really wants to stop Messi scoring goals in the Champions League, maybe he should just join PSG...