Cristiano Ronaldo's sensational return to Manchester United has been met with 'palpable' excitement inside the dressing room, according to goalkeeper Lee Grant.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is officially back at Old Trafford for a second spell after completing a £12.9million (€15m) – rising to £19.7m (€23m) – move from Juventus on Tuesday.

Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 appearances during his first spell at the club under Alex Ferguson between 2003 and 2009.

The forward also won three Premier League titles, the Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup before his world-record transfer to Real Madrid.

Grant says he and his United team-mates are relishing Ronaldo's eagerly anticipated return to Carrington following the international break.

And the goalkeeper believes his influence will be of huge benefit to all the players throughout the squad – regardless of their experience.

"The excitement is palpable [in the dressing room] not just with the younger players," Grant told talkSPORT.

"The thing that struck me and made me realise this is huge is actually the reaction of our more senior players. 

"If Lee Grant is excited, who is one of our back-up goalkeepers, and thinking the impact that it's going to have on me and my training and the level I've got to bring, imagine what that is going to do for our more senior players.

"I was at the nursery picking up one of my children and one of the guys – one of our more senior players – to see the look on his face and his excitement, bordering on giddiness at the fact we've been able to bring Cristiano in was a real eye opener for me.

"We talk about the impact Edinson [Cavani] had when he came to the football club and the impact he’s having to this day.

"Ronaldo will bring that same level of professionalism and example that is vital for our young players, who are still making their way in the game.

"We've got young players, but they are top young players, so to learn from the pinnacle, the apex predator in Cristiano Ronaldo, there's going to be none better."

Sergio Romero will leave Manchester United when his contract expires this month, but talks are ongoing over a new deal for Juan Mata.

Romero had served as David de Gea's understudy after joining from Sampdoria in 2015, although he slipped down the pecking order following Dean Henderson's return from his successful loan stint at Sheffield United.

The Argentina international was axed from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Premier League and Champions League squads last season, with his last appearance for the club coming against FC Copenhagen in the Europa League on August 10 last year. 

Mata, meanwhile, made just 18 appearances last season – 10 of which were starts – and scored three goals. 

He earned a rare start in the Premier League season-finale 2-1 victory at Wolves on May 23, in which he scored the winning penalty on the stroke of half-time. 

Mata, 33, joined United from Chelsea in January 2014 and it appears he will extend his stay at Old Trafford into a ninth season. 

He could be joined in United's 2021-22 squad by reserve goalkeeper Lee Grant, who is also in talks over a new deal, but fellow stopper Joel Pereira will leave the club during the off-season.

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