Zidane Iqbal was close to joining FC Utrecht on loan in January before the move fell through. He says even he does not know the reason why, but is glad to be finally in the Netherlands and is set to build on his singular minute of senior football at age 20.
He leaves United with more Iraq caps (three) than Reds senior outings (one, his debut in December 2021). Alejandro Garnacho is now the 'starboy' of Old Trafford but last summer it looked as though Iqbal would attain that title.
His slick midfield appearances on the pre-season tour caught the eye, and he won a penalty against Cadiz during the mid-season break in Spain.
He joined first-team training for the whole of last season, which will have been an invaluable experience. But he may have felt a punch in the gut seeing Kobbie Mainoo, then 17, earn his first senior start before him during January's League Cup win over Charlton, even if in a different role to his. ALSO READ: Why Manchester United have decided to sell Zidane Iqbal Perhaps his near-move across the North Sea partially explains his lack of look-in but there’s no doubt that Iqbal would have ended the season feeling that a change was needed.