Zidane Iqbal left Manchester United in 2023 after graduating from the academy, but he has now opened up on a frustrating period he endured under former manager Erik ten Hag.
It came as a surprise when Zidane Iqbal was sold by Manchester United two years ago, when he completed a move to Eredivisie side FC Utrecht.
The young midfielder had come through the youth system at Carrington but departed for regular first-team football in the Netherlands.
As we’ve seen with other young players leaving the club in recent years, including Anthony Elanga and Alvaro Fernandez, United included a sell-on clause on Iqbal and even a buy-back clause to bring him back to Old Trafford in the future, potentially.
Iqbal made 21 appearances for Utrecht last season as they finished fourth in the Eredivisie, nine points adrift of league champions PSV Eindhoven.
The 22-year-old has kicked on by establishing himself in the Dutch league and has gained plenty of experience at United to help on his journey as a professional footballer.
Zidane Iqbal playing against Feyenoord for FC Utrecht
Photo by Marcel van Dorst/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Zidane Iqbal needed to leave Manchester United
Nobody at Manchester United disputes the fact Zidane Iqbal is a talented midfielder.
After originating from Manchester, Iqbal became the first British-born South Asian to play for United and to do so in the Champions League.
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Now, with 17 caps to his name for the Iraq national team, Iqbal reflects on the ‘tough’ period he experienced at United before deciding it was time to move on and prove himself at FC Utrecht.
“I came home [from the pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia] and thought I showed myself and I showed my level,” Iqbal told The National.
“I know I’d done well when my dad’s happy with me. I also came on in a game against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford and did well.
“Darren Fletcher messaged me to say I was going up to the first team dressing room and for the first few games of the season I was on the bench. I thought I would get a chance and unfortunately I didn’t, although I was on the bench 19 times during the season.
“I just wanted 10 minutes off a bench to show myself and it really frustrated me that the gaffer didn’t seem to rate me enough to give me a chance to show if I could sink or swim.
“I spoke to my dad and agent and said: ‘I can’t do this for another year’. From the outside, it looked amazing to all my friends because I was training and travelling with United’s first team.
“For me, it was mentally tough because I was just training and not allowed to play with the under-23s. I thought to myself, ‘I’m just like a number’.”
Iqbal went on to reveal that he received support from Lisandro Martinez and Tom Heaton during this period, with the two senior professionals encouraging and advising the youngster.
“I was supposed to start a cup game against Charlton Athletic from League 1. I was in all the shapes and patterns in pre-match training. I was starting as a 10 and Lisandro Martinez came up to me and said: ‘Now’s your chance’. He talked to me and said, ‘all of us are supporting you. Just show yourself, you’re a good player. We’re going to fight for you, make sure you’re ready to fight’. It motivated me and it was nice from him, an aggressive leader in the team, a big player. I got tickets for family and friends to see me. Finally, my chance.
“Then I got to the stadium, looked at the whiteboard and didn’t see my name. I was gutted. Then I thought I’d come off the bench. Nothing. That was the turning point for me. I didn’t feel the manager respected me enough to play me.
“We had the Under-19 World Cup that April, so I went to the manager. Before that, I saw Tom Heaton, a senior player. I told Tom what I was going to say, that I was going to play against England and Uruguay and that it would be a good chance to show myself. Tom shook his head and said: ‘That’s awful. You’re making it about yourself. Make it about the gaffer’. Tom gave me a few points to say, like that I’ve trained under him for a year and wanted to show him how I’d developed.”
He added that he took inspiration from Jadon Sancho and Paul Pogba by making the brave decision to take his career to a new country: “The manager [Ten Hag] listened and then told me he didn’t want me to go to the tournament. He said it was the end of the season; we had injuries and needed training numbers, too. He told me to stay patient. So I did. I was sure I’d play some minutes and become the first Iraqi player in the Premier League.
“It didn’t happen, not even in the last games when there was little to play for. My best friend, Ali Al Hamadi of Ipswich, became the first Iraqi player, so I’m happy it’s him.
“But I told my agent that I needed to move. I’d done everything that was asked and didn’t get a chance. I saw that Jadon Sancho had moved abroad from Man City, Paul Pogba from Man United. I was happy to try and take a similar route.”
Iqbal’s decision to leave United proved to be the right one as he’s been enjoying his football in the Netherlands.
First South Asian to play in the Champions League
Iqbal has plenty of positive memories from his time at United, too.
The midfielder replaced Jesse Lingard as a substitute to become the first South Asian to play in the Champions League against Young Boys.
Iqbal reflects on how he got a hint that he may be involved in the game, getting added to a WhatsApp group and being ‘nervous’ with former team-mate Charlie Savage.
“I’d done well against Atlanta in the Uefa Youth League when Nick Cox, the head of the academy, came up to me while I was having a Covid test,” Iqbal said.
“He hinted that I may be involved vs Young Boys in the Champions League the following night.
“I trained with the first team and was added to a WhatsApp group. On the day of the game, we stayed in a hotel really close to where I grew up. Opposite a field which I’d climb over a fence to play during lockdowns. One minute I was playing there with my mates, the next I was preparing for a Champions League game in a hotel two minutes’ walk from my house.
“Charlie Savage, who was also set to play, and I were nervous. We’d struggled to sleep, so he came to my room in the day and we sat there trying the different coffees in the hotel room and talking rubbish.
“Then we got the coach to Old Trafford. I knew friends and family would be there. When we warmed up, they came to see me by the side of the pitch.
“I came on for Jesse Lingard. I just wanted to touch the ball and I got a few touches. As I walked off I thought ‘that’s what I’ve dreamed of’. I saw my mum – as usual! – was crying. I got home and dad was crying. Even my uncle was crying. Brother was enjoying himself. What a night!
“Jesse gave me his match shirt, which I’ve got framed at home with a picture of me coming on for him. Jesse was number 14 that night, the number I’d worn at Sale United. The number of Johan Cruyff, who my Sale coach Stuart Hamer loved. I like being number 14. I was that number in the academy and I wear it now.”