Zidane Iqbal responds to Man Utd fan about controversial transfer which has angered supporters

Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal has seemingly confirmed he will leave the club after responding to a fan's post on Instagram about his future.

Iqbal, 20, played five of United's six pre-season games last summer and was expected to push on under Erik ten Hag.

But he failed to make a single senior competitive appearance throughout the campaign.

The Athletic's David Ornstein has now reported that United have agreed a deal to sell Iqbal to Dutch club FC Utrecht.

The proposed transfer would see Iqbal move to the Dutch side for a fee of around £850,000 – with the deal also including a significant sell-on clause for the Premier League club.

Some United supporters have questioned why United are prepared to allow Iqbal to leave for less than £1m.

United fan account MUFC Academy Arena, which tracks the progress of the club's younger players, posted on Instagram: "I can't lie, this one hurts.

"David Ornstein just reported that United have agreed a £1m fee with @fc_utrecht for Zidane Iqbal.

"Watched Zidane Iqbal for years. Top guy and a really talented footballer.

"All the best @z10ane! First British South Asian footballer in Manchester United's history…hopefully our paths will cross again."

Iqbal swiftly replied to the post, commenting: "Thank you", followed by the love-heart and prayer emojis.

Significantly, Iqbal refused to deny the report, suggesting a move to the Netherlands could be on the cards.

The midfielder, who was born in Manchester, has already earned three caps for Iraq's senior team.

But he has made just one senior appearance for United, coming on as a late substitute in a Champions League game against Young Boys in December 2021.

He could now be moved on as United look to raise transfer funds for Ten Hag this summer.

Other players who could be sold include club captain Harry Maguire, Dean Henderson, Fred, Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay with Ten Hag planning a major overhaul of his squad.

Topics: Football, Manchester United, Fan Reactions, Premier League, Transfers, Zidane Iqbal

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan