Former Manchester United wonderkid Zidane Iqbal has revealed his feelings of 'disrespect' under ex-manager Erik ten Hag, which ultimately led to his departure from Old Trafford. Rising through the ranks since joining at age nine, the midfielder was on the cusp of breaking into the first team in 2021 and made his debut against Young Boys in the Champions League.

However, his progress stalled, and he left for Utrecht in the summer of 2023. Iqbal has now shared his reasons for leaving, feeling sidelined by Ten Hag. In an interview with The National, the 22-year-old expressed his frustration: "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'."

The final straw for Iqbal came when he was overlooked for a match against Charlton Athletic in the League Cup, leading him to the realisation that his future lay elsewhere.

He further revealed: "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."

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Iqbal, like many promising young talents, sought opportunities overseas after feeling overlooked by Ten Hag, especially when he was asked to skip the under-19 World Cup.

"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.

"However, that never materialised, not even in the final matches when there was little at stake. My best mate, Ali Al Hamadi of Ipswich, became the first Iraqi player, so I'm chuffed it's him.

"But I informed my agent that I needed a change. 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 willing to follow a similar path."

The conversations between Iqbal and Ten Hag weren't confined to transfer discussions. The Dutch coach was also seen venting his frustration at the youngster during a training session, branding him as "f***ing rubbish".