Dundee: Scottish club Dundee United announced the signing of Iraqi national team player Zaidan Iqbal from Dutch club Utrecht on a two-year contract, with an option to extend for a third year.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Iqbal previously played for Manchester United in England, becoming the first Iraqi player to participate in the English Premier League. After his stint with Manchester United, he moved to Utrecht. However, his tenure at the Dutch club did not see much playing time last season. As a result, Iqbal opted to find a new team to showcase his talents, especially after Australian coach Graham Arnold’s decision to incorporate younger players into the “Lions of Mesopotamia” squad for forthcoming competitions. Arnold has encouraged young players to join clubs offering more playing time.

Iqbal drew attention with an impressive performance in the match between Iraq and France at the last World Cup. Speaking about his new chapter with Dundee United, Iqbal expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m very happy to be here and can’t wait to get started. My talks with the manager have been very positive, and I’m excited to meet my new teammates and the rest of the coaching staff. I’ve taken my family on a tour of the stadium and training ground, which gives me a really special feeling about this place where I’ll be playing every week. I’m really looking forward to meeting the fans at the weekend and stepping onto the pitch in the team’s shirt for the first time.”