It was supposed to be the season that made Zidane Iqbal at Manchester United. Instead, it turned out to be his last.
The 20-year-old was arguably the standout performer on United's pre-season tour last summer, but despite being highly rated at the club, he is set to leave permanently this week.
The Manchester Evening News confirmed reports on Tuesday night that United had accepted an offer believed to be around €1million from FC Utrecht.
Iqbal completed a medical on Monday and is set to sign a four-year deal with the Dutch side, bringing to an end his 11-year spell with the club.
Read next: United accept offer for Iqbal
For many United fans, it is a bitter pill to swallow. While pre-season performances are not always an accurate gauge of a player's suitability for the first team (see Andreas Pereira 2015–2021), it always felt like there was a lot more to come from Iqbal.
He is not only a trailblazer off the pitch as one of the very few professional footballers from a British Asian background, but a blazing talent on it with his incredible technical ability.
Next Wednesday will mark a year since he agreed to a new deal that would have kept him at United until at least June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.
While it would have taken a lot of hard work for the Whalley Range-born midfielder to ever fulfil that potential, nobody would have imagined that less than a year later he'd be gone for good.
United fans were blown away by Iqbal's influence in those early pre-season games, and he appeared to be the ideal fit for a manager who values technical ability and poise in his players.
There was plenty of loan interest in his signature throughout his time at the club, yet the decision was made to keep him at United and monitor his progress.
Iqbal had already made his senior debut a year earlier against Young Boys in the Champions League and it turned out to be his only competitive appearance for the club. He was named in 17 matchday squads last season but failed to make a senior appearance under Erik ten Hag.
Instead, his opportunities once again came at the U21 level, a platform where he is far too comfortable and lacks the meaningful challenges that will help him push on as a player.
It was inevitable that he was going to leave this summer, but the surprise is that it is a permanent exit rather than a first loan move to gauge where he is really at.
It is understood Iqbal's departure this summer was planned from the early stages of last season, with the only variable being whether that was a loan or permanent exit.
United wanted to make the most of him while he was at the club and felt he provided high-level support for the first-team squad during training, but they ultimately felt the €1million was a fair reflection of his current talents. The club could also make much more than that with the significant sell-on clause included in the deal.
What hurts United fans the most is that he has never had that chance. While it is appreciated that he might never have the ability to actually make it in the Old Trafford first team, it is a real shame that we will never know if he could.
Iqbal wanted to leave on loan in January, but Ten Hag vetoed the decision amid an injury crisis that saw Scott McTominay, Donny Van de Beek and Christian Eriksen all sidelined.
There was also frustration at Ten Hag's refusal to grant Iqbal permission to join Iraq at the U20 World Cup last month, a baffling decision given his lack of senior commitments.
It would have been an excellent opportunity for the youngster and a perfect platform for him to raise his profile further ahead of the summer window, which might have resulted in a larger fee for his services.
The fact United have sanctioned a sale indicates they felt it unlikely he would reach the heights they wanted him to and that it is best for all parties if he is given a fresh start this summer.
Iqbal is also not done any favours by the rapid rise of Kobbie Mainoo, who overtook him in the pecking order despite being two years his junior. It is a reminder of the ruthless nature of professional futures and a reality check that if you are not moving forward in your career, you are instead being left behind.
His target now will be to make up for lost time. Iqbal changed agents recently, signing with Sports Entertainment Group, the same agency as Ten Hag, because they promised him a move to the Eredivisie.
His imminent move to Utrecht gives him a chance to do just that, with the ultimate incentive of proving United and Ten Hag wrong all along.
United are showing a ruthless streak; they must now hope it wasn't a step too far.
