Wayne Rooney has told The Sunday Times that he believes he will be at his peak in the next two or three years.
The Manchester United and England captain rejected suggestions he is already in decline by insisting he can get better.
And while he accepts his future could lie in midfield, he believes he can carry on operating as a forward for the next few years.
Rooney scored his 219th United goal, to mean he is now just 30 behind Sir Bobby Charlton's record, in Saturday's 2-1 win against West Ham, but was then sent off for a kick at Stewart Downing.
He said: "I still believe I can get better as a footballer. In the next three to five years you will see me as a different player. The next two or three, I feel these could be the best years of my career.
"I'm at a stage, especially after playing at this club for 10 years, where I've picked up a lot about the game. I've learnt. I now know exactly what I want to do on the pitch and I'm fit and ready to do it."
Rooney, who has struck 41 times for his country, is also closing in on Charlton's England record of 49 international goals.
He marked a decade in the United team this weekend but, after being used as a striker for much of that time, he has played his last two games at the tip of a midfield diamond, behind centre-forwards Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie.
But he added: "There'll be times I'll be needed to play deeper or wider, which I've no problem doing. But in the main I feel I've still got at least two or three years up front.
"I know I've the qualities to play in midfield. I've done it comfortably. There'll come a time when I move to a deeper position for good and that could be this week, it could be in a couple of years. It's down to the manager and I'll accept it."
Rooney will be suspended for all of October's fixtures after his red card against the Hammers but claimed: "I'm a lot more mature on the pitch."