Zidane Iqbal has been demoted to the reserves at Utrecht after the former Manchester United midfielder was accused of a lack of dedication in training
Zidane Iqbal
Zidane Iqbal left United for Utrecht in 2023(Image: Getty Images)
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Former Manchester United starlet Zidane Iqbal has been demoted to the reserves at his current club, Utrecht. The one-time Old Trafford academy standout has been dispatched to Jong FC Utrecht as a disciplinary measure.
Iqbal is set to miss the forthcoming Europa League clash against Real Betis, with manager Ron Jans expressing dissatisfaction over the player's commitment during training prior to the international break. The 22-year-old recently earned his 22nd cap for Iraq after featuring in two matches against the United Arab Emirates, aiding his country's advancement in World Cup qualifiers.
The midfielder has clocked up five appearances in the Eredivisie and two in the Europa League this season. However, reports from the Netherlands suggest that Iqbal has failed to convince Jans of his dedication.
Iqbal made the move to Utrecht from Manchester United in the summer of 2023, with the Dutch outfit shelling out £1million for his services.
Having spent 11 years at United, Iqbal holds the distinction of being the first British South Asian to represent Manchester United. He had the option to play for England, Pakistan or Iraq, but ultimately chose the latter.
Born in Manchester, Iqbal made his first-team debut in December 2021 in a Champions League match against Young Boys, under the stewardship of Ralf Rangnick. However, his progress hit a roadblock under Erik ten Hag.
The young midfielder was previously on the receiving end of an expletive-laden tirade from manager Ten Hag during a training session. Footage captured the United boss shouting at the youngster.
Zidane Iqbal
Zidane Iqbal now plays for FC Utrecht(Image: Ben Gal/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
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"Keep the ball on the floor... Zidane! Hey! Keep the ball! F***ing rubbish!" he said.
Iqbal feels he wasn't given a proper opportunity under Ten Hag, which prompted him to seek a move elsewhere.
In an interview with The National, Iqbal explained: "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 featured 18 times for Utrecht last season, following 17 Eredivisie appearances during his first campaign with the Dutch side. The international clearly still has ground to make up in establishing himself at the club.