Manchester United transfer decision could unlock their own Jude Bellingham

When the last World Cup was staged Jude Bellingham hadn't even made his debut for England's U16 side. Fast forward four-and-a-half years, and he is arguably the most exciting teenager in world football.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder will dominate the transfer agenda next year when just about every elite club in Europe battles to sign him, and Manchester United will no doubt have their hat in the ring for a player who rejected them two years ago.

United's dilemma is that there will be far more pressing issues to address next year. They need at least one new striker, a new right back, and possibly even another goalkeeper before they can consider strengthening in midfield.

However, if they don't act next year, they risk missing out on long-term target Bellingham for good, with a possible move to either Manchester City or Liverpool certain to end any future hopes of signing him.

It seems certain that Erik ten Hag will look to sign another creative midfielder across the next few transfer windows, but when the time is finally right to do so, he might already have unearthed a player capable of doing just that.

Academy aces Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage were both given game time during the summer tour, with the former shining the brightest in his performances as a deep-lying playmaker.

The 19-year-old oozed confidence with his style of play and the way he cherished the ball. Iqbal was not fazed by the pressure on him to perform and approached the matches with the same self-belief that he has shown at youth level over the last few years.

He showed his commitment to the cause by asking to be left out of the Iraq squad for the Jordan International Tournament back in September because he wanted to work with Ten Hag instead, but that gamble has yet to pay off on the pitch.

There was certainly a lot of pressure on him to continue his excellent form into this season, but he has yet to make a senior appearance and has been an unused substitute on nine occasions.

Iqbal will be part of United's warm-weather training camp in Spain next month, and he could be one of the players who benefits from World Cup absences when they face Burnley in the Carabao Cup before Christmas.

Beyond that, though, his opportunities look limited. Any hopes of featuring again this season will likely rely on favourable draws in the domestic cups, which aren't guaranteed, and he might not even get a chance in the Premier League if they are involved in a fierce top-four fight right until the very end of the campaign.

What is perhaps a bit of an eye-opener is that while Iqbal is rightfully regarded as a top talent for the future, he is actually older than Bellingham and needs to be given the same first-team exposure if he is to deliver on that potential.

Of course, different players peak at different times, and there are a range of factors that influence that. Bellingham always showed signs of huge promise when he was playing in the Championship while studying for his GCSEs, but in order to take his game to the next level, he pushed for a move to a higher level that would still guarantee him game time.

"I just think the way Dortmund integrate young players into the first-team squad is next level," Bellingham explained of his decision to join Dortmund over United in 2020. “There is not a club in Europe that does it quite like them. The way they are pushed and can also be reeled back in.

“They can review your performances. There is a person there for every player who has worked with the young players. Everyone has that support system to work for their chance in the first team.

“Man United have a great squad. And my decision had nothing to do with money. And I was so focused and so happy with the interest from Dortmund that this became my first choice."

That is an important message for Iqbal as he approaches the January transfer window and the opportunity to play meaningful minutes in the second half of the season.

Anyone who saw him play on the summer tour will be aware of his immense talent, and while he has gained invaluable experience since being fully integrated into the first-team setup, the time has come for him to go out and play matches.

United can't afford to sign a new creative midfielder yet, and if they nurture Iqbal properly, then they might not need to anyway.