Harry Maguire has signed a new contract with Manchester United and is already looking ahead to the summer transfer window, when the club will be tasked with strengthening the squad
Harry Maguire of Manchester United
Harry Maguire has demanded transfers this summer(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Harry Maguire believes that Manchester United can compete for the Premier League title next season if they get things right in the summer transfer window. Maguire has signed a new one-year contract with United and is feeling positive going into a "really really big" summer for the club.
The 33-year-old defender has enjoyed a renaissance since Michael Carrick became interim manager in January. United have taken 23 points from a possible 30 under Carrick to move up to third place in the Premier League.
They are on course to qualify for next season's Champions League, but Maguire thinks they still have plenty of work to do. United spent £225million last summer, bringing in Senne Lammens, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, and the veteran centre-back has called upon club chiefs to invest once more in the off-season.
"We've had a great few months under the manager," said Maguire, as reported by Manchester Evening News. "I feel like the squad is starting to look like something that is a strong squad. But this summer's going to be big, really, really big. We need more players, we need better quality, we need players to come into the starting eleven.
"Looking at the Premier League at the moment, I think over the last few years you've obviously had Manchester City, who were really tough to catch, and before the start of the 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 and I think 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 the season and we keep going on the curve there's no ceiling to where we can reach. We've got to be in the conversation to go and win the big trophies."
United have not won the Premier League since 2013 and have not come close to repeating that success, with Manchester City dominating the top of the table. But having picked up seven wins from 10 games under Carrick to move clear of Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea, Maguire is looking up.
Director of Football Jason Wilcox of Manchester United speaks to Harry Maguire
Jason Wilcox is the man tasked with carrying out Harry Maguire's demands(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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"I want to win big trophies, I think that's part of playing for this club," he said. "I always say football is about memories and you can create memories by having iconic matches, scoring goals, but the bottom line is you get memories from winning big trophies. I want to be part of that. That's everyone's dream."
A return to the Champions League will help United's director of football Jason Wilcox to sign top players in the summer. Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada are the men who will also decide whether to hand the full-time management job to Carrick.
United have a 24-day break between their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth and the upcoming match against Leeds on Monday. They have been whisked away to a four-day training camp in Dublin in preparation for the game at Old Trafford.
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