94 per cent pass accuracy, 20-year-old sold by Man Utd in summer just had his best game yet

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Manchester United’s options in midfield have been so depleted this season that Zidane Iqbal could well have been a good option for the Red Devils.

Erik ten Hag has had to deal with a shedload of injury issues this season with there being 13 first-team absentees from the Manchester United squad at one point in the season.

It is now midfield where all of the problems currently lie with there being a dearth of options in the middle of the park for Ten Hag to rely upon.

Casemiro is set to be back in first-team training soon and Christian Eriksen is back on grass after an ‘annoying’ time out of the squad with injury.

Iqbal impresses for FC Utrecht

After departing the club during the summer to Dutch side FC Utrecht, Zidane Iqbal has been struggling in the Eredivisie so far with the Iraq midfielder having multiple injury problems.

Iqbal joined United’s academy aged nine and he became the first British South Asian footballer to represent the club when making his senior debut against BSC Young Boys in December 2021 in the Champions League.

The 20-year-old started against Feyenoord in the Eredivisie and the young midfielder showed his quality for the Dutch side with an excellent performance.

The Iraq midfielder has played four games for the Dutch side this season but it was his performance against Feyenoord in yesterday’s 2-1 defeat that really caught the eye.

According to Sofascore, Iqbal completed 94 per cent of the 50 passes he attempted, he won 71 per cent of his ground duels and looked very confident in his role before being taken off in the 66th minute.

With the current injury crisis, the youngster may well have been an option but United decided the time was right to sell him.

Iqbl’s qualities

During the brief appearances he made in pre-season, the midfielder’s poise on the ball was something that caught the eye immediately.

United’s current midfield options, barring teenager Kobbie Mainoo, all struggle with this aspect so perhaps a player like Iqbal would have been key for the Red Devils.

The club, however, decided that it was best served for the midfielder to leave Old Trafford with a £866,000 deal agreed but with performances like he put in against Eredivisie, the club may live to rue that decision.