Manchester United have let young midfielder Zidane Iqbal leave the club, and fans are not happy with the budget price he's cost his new team.
Every football club and their fanbase want to see young players come through the academy and make it in the full team, that is especially true at United.
Whilst the 'Class of 92' are the biggest and best example of the 13 times Premier League winners turning to the academy, their record of always picking a graduate in every single matchday squad actually goes back 86 years.
Advert
Alejandro Garnacho may well be the latest example of a player who has been promoted to the first team to go on to do some special things, and fans already love the newly capped Argentine.
A couple of years ago the player that many expected to be another star to break through into the first team was 20-year-old midfielder Iqbal.
He became the first British South Asian to play in the Champions League when he made his debut against Young Boys back in 2021.
Advert
Last summer his performances in pre-season got supporters excited and just a couple of months ago a game for Iraq had some calling for him to be given an opportunity in Ten Hag's
However that didn't happen and according the Athletic's transfer polymath David Ornstein, the Carabao Cup winners have accepted a bid of just €1 million from Eredivisie side FC Utrecht.
Despite the fact there is a 'significant' sell on clause for the club to make more money should he develop further in the Netherlands it's not exactly a large fee.
Advert
And fans have jumped all over the decision to let him go for so cheap, and they can't understand how its been allowed to happen.
"Absolute disgrace, he never got the chance, should've loaned him," said one fan.
"That's a p**stake. Chelsea or City would have got £10 million + for him. He should have gone out on loan," added a second.
Referencing the excellent work United did with Paul Pogba's first departure and eventual return, a third joked: "We will end up buying him in few years for 80 million."
Advert
"Tell me this is a lie," begged a fourth.
Another hilariously commented: "I’m now convinced being a Man Utd fan is a social experiment."
Writer Casey Evans pointed out that the club decided not to let their player go to the Under 20 World Cup recently, a decision that makes even less sense now.
Advert
The United fan added that a good performance at the tournament may have ended up in an increased fee for the youngster.
And like many others he also reiterated the point that United's rivals almost certainly would have got more for their player. Perhaps youth development at United isn't all that it's cracked up to be all the time.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Transfers, Fan Reactions, Premier League, Eredivisie, Zidane Iqbal