Ryan Giggs theory about why Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid is surprisingly interesting

It's the transfer that few were expecting.

Despite claiming his third consecutive Champions League trophy for Real Madrid last season, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to pursue a new challenge by moving to Juventus on a four-year deal believed to be worth £88.3 million. In response to the understandable disappointment of Real supporters, Ronaldo penned an open letter on Tuesday afternoon in which he vaguely explained his reasons for wanting a change of scenery.

"I believe that the time has come to open a new stage in my life and that is why I have asked the club to accept a transfer fee for me," Ronaldo wrote. "I feel that way and I ask everyone, and especially our supporters, to please understand me."

But former teammate Ryan Giggs believes there is more to Ronaldo's desire to move than meets the eye as the Wales manager insists that Ronaldo's perennial rival, Lionel Messi, played a role in his decision to leave. "I'm surprised that he would leave Real Madrid and go to Italy," Giggs said on ITV. "I think it's a big challenge for him but he's going to a huge club. Having that on your CV... Real Madrid, Man United and Juventus. It's some CV.

"He's obsessed with being better than Messi. He has that now that 'I did it in England, I did it in Spain, I'm going to do it in Italy - and I did it with Portugal'. So maybe that will be his argument when people ask 'Is Ronaldo better than Messi?'"

The early stages of the World Cup led many to believe that Ronaldo would go down as a better player than Messi as the Portugal talisman scored four goals in the group stages to send Portugal through to the Round of 16 while Messi went missing in a couple of the tournament's opening games.