Harry Maguire has used a series of interviews this week to set out a clear defence of his recent career and to lay down high expectations for Manchester United.

The 33-year-old, who regained a club place after a difficult spell and the loss of the captaincy under Erik ten Hag, rejected the notion that his performances have been inconsistent. “I actually think, six of the [seven] seasons, I’ve performed really well,” he told The Athletic. “I’d have loved seven out of seven, and not had this little blip along the way and everyone won’t be speaking about it as much.”

Maguire also framed his international prospects confidently as he vies for selection for Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup roster. “Whatever role the manager would want me for, whether that’s starting or deciding games late on… I still believe, even at my age, I’m arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes. I don’t think that’s open to question, really.”

The centre back pointed to measurable strengths in support of that belief. No Premier League player can better Maguire’s aerial win rate of 78% this season, per Opta. Ruben Amorim has praised his set-piece threat, calling him “the only guy that can score a goal with his headers.” Maguire added: “I have great self-belief, more importantly, that I’m a top player,” Maguire insisted. “That’s what helps me when things are tough.”

He was equally bullish about United’s prospects. “I don’t think there’s any ceiling on it looking at the Premier League at the moment,” Maguire told The Telegraph when quizzed on United’s prospects. “I think over the last few years you’ve obviously had Manchester City, who were really tough to catch, and before the start of any season you knew you had to put a points tally together where it was some going to catch them.

“I think next season you look at it we’ve got to be in the bracket where, if we get the recruitment right and everything’s positive from now to the end of this season, there’s no ceiling of where we can reach.

“If we were speaking about it [the title] at the end of last season [when United finished 15th], you’d probably think we were a bit stupid really. But we’re in a strong position now.

“Come February, March, we don’t want to be adrift like we have been this year. We’ve got to be in the conversation to go and win the big trophies.”

Maguire stressed the importance of recruitment as United prepare for European competition and a bigger fixture load. “I always want to be part of a squad that I felt like could compete and the recruitment went well last year, we brought in some top players who helped us,” Maguire told ESPN. “I think this summer’s going to be a big summer, I think we’ve got to recruit really well,” Maguire warned. “Obviously there’s a big manager decision as well, but I think the recruitment side of it is bringing players in.

“I think this summer has got to be a big year because we’re not in Europe this year, we’ve played 40 games at the end of the season, and we definitely need a bigger squad next year.”

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández was at the centre of a brief controversy after comments during the international break prompted speculation about his future. His agent, Javier Pastore, initially criticised Chelsea’s decision to suspend the Argentina international and suggested Fernández would consider his options at the end of the season. Now Pastore says the matter has been settled and relations with the club have been restored.

“These are statements he made without any intention of causing problems at Chelsea ,” Pastore told Top Mercato . “He’s the captain, one of the team’s leaders, and he’s shown his best form on the pitch this season. He was simply talking about a city.

“Then there were a lot of interviews in a short period where he talked about his future. The media mixed things up and started saying he was going to leave Chelsea. There’s absolutely nothing to it.

“We’re on the same page with Chelsea. We made peace yesterday and the day before between Chelsea and the player. There were never really any problems. We cleared the air.”

Pastore pointed out Fernández did not explicitly name Real Madrid but twice described the city as a dream destination and cited Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos as inspirations. Those remarks were combined with a refusal to publicly commit to Chelsea, which helped fuel the coverage that led to the club’s disciplinary response.

“What happened, happened,” Pastore added. “We explained to the player that, even though he didn’t do anything wrong, he shouldn’t have said that.

“He’s only 25. He’s still young, he still has things to learn. We explained to the club that he said it without malice, that he made a mistake. He naturally apologized to the club, his teammates, the coach, the sporting director, everyone.

“We’re all on the same page. We simply had to clear up the misunderstanding.”

Fernández remains suspended as it stands for the upcoming meeting with Manchester City. Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior is due to speak to the media later this week, and an update on the midfielder’s availability is expected. Pastore did suggest Fernández could return sooner than anticipated. “Chelsea is fighting for its Champions League spot through the Premier League, which is very important for the club,” the agent said.

Manchester United will remain in Europe for the first time in 24 years after announcing their 2026-27 preseason fixtures. With this summer’s World Cup sending most of the squad to the United States, Canada and Mexico, the club has decided to keep the team in Europe.

United confirmed earlier this month that their summer would end with a friendly against Leeds United in Dublin on Aug. 12, and four further fixtures have been revealed. The schedule includes:

– Wrexham, July 18, Helsinki, Finland
– Rosenborg, July 24, Trondheim, Norway
– Atlético Madrid, Aug. 1, Stockholm, Sweden
– PSG, Aug. 8, Gothenberg, Sweden
– Leeds United, Aug. 12, Dublin, Republic of Ireland

“Following the announcement of our match against Leeds United in Dublin, we’re excited to confirm four more preseason fixtures in the Nordics,” director of football Jason Wilcox said. “We’re delighted to be playing in some fantastic cities, against opponents who will provide a strong test for us.

“We have the best fans in the world, and this schedule gives us a great opportunity to connect with our supporters across Europe. We’re really looking forward to getting out there and putting in the hard work ahead of a big season.”

The timing of the World Cup has created a cramped calendar. Players will have limited rest between the end of the domestic season and the tournament, which begins on June 11. Those who progress deeply in the World Cup will remain active until mid-July, almost three weeks after United usually start preseason training at their Carrington home base.

That congestion is underlined by the fact United’s first friendly, against Wrexham in Finland, takes place one day before the World Cup final. The club has acknowledged that a reduced squad will travel for that fixture.