Iqbal spent 14 years with Manchester United and felt frustrated that he wasn't given a chance to prove himself. He wanted to play just 10 minutes from the bench to show his skills, but ten Hag didn't seem to value him enough to give him that opportunity.
"I just wanted to show myself and prove that I could play," Iqbal said. "But I felt like a prisoner, training with the first team but not being allowed to play with the under-23s. It was mentally tough for me."
During his time at Manchester United, Iqbal felt like he was just a number, not a valued player. He spoke to his agent and father about his situation and decided that he couldn't continue at the club for another year.
After ten Hag told him to stay patient, Iqbal was sure that he would get to play some minutes for the team. However, that never happened, even in the final matches of the season when there was little at stake.
Eventually, Iqbal decided that he needed a change and moved to Dutch side FC Utrecht. He is now enjoying first-team football and has made 21 appearances for the club, helping them finish fourth in the Eredivisie.