Swedish side Djurgardens have agreed a record-breaking £1.5m fee with Boreham Wood over talented winger Abdul Abdulmalik, as per BBC Sport. The former Millwall academy prospect has had to wait patiently for his move after Boreham Wood rejected bids of £750k and £1m before finally accepting the most recent bid of £1.5m.
The 23-year-old will now move from the National League to the Allsvenskan, Sweden's top flight, as Djurgardens push for Conference League qualification, as he completes his medical today as per Nizaar Kinsella.
Abdul Abdulmalik's journey
Abdulmalik's journey began in Millwall's academy, making a handful of appearances for their Under 18's and Under-19s. However, Millwall released him, and the winger was forced to go through the non-league route. Eleven games for Wealdstone gave Boreham Wood enough to sign him for the 24/25 National League season. His opening season in Hertfordshire saw him net five goals in his 38 games for the Wood.
However, his 25/26 campaign grabbed the attention of most fans around the country. A staggering 28 goal contributions (18 goals and 10 assists), including a goal in the playoff final earned interest from Swedish top-flight side Djurgarden. Following the accepted £1.5m bid, Abdulmalik will now make the trip over to central Stockholm to continue his footballing career.
Instagram story causes social media backlash
Abdulmalik took to Instagram to say,
"That’s why from the beginning I have vowed to do my best to support them and take my career to the furthest heights possible. Through sheer hard work and perseverance, the opportunity to progress has come around. This is my chance to push myself as a footballer, elevate my game and most importantly fulfil my promise to the ones around me. Opportunities like this are rare, especially within the National League where some of the hardest working talent is overlooked.<br><br>The game of football is forever changing and decisions are fast paced. There’s no guarantee that the same chances come knocking twice. I owe it to myself and the kids growing up just like me to fight for this one I’ve been offered. Moving on from a club is one of the toughest decisions in a footballers career. I’m more than grateful for everyone that has been a part of my journey so far. Everyone at Boreham Wood FC and the incredible fans have played a massive part. You will always have my respect. With this said, I’m ready for the next challenge. I’m ready to prove to myself and those around me that I’m capable of reaching the top.”
Experienced journalist Ian (Moose) Abrahams took to X to make his opinion known:
"Very disappointed to see, Abdul Abdulmalik has released a statement, saying he wants to leave Boreham Wood amid reported transfer interest. The Wood have already reported turned down a £1.5m bid from Djurgardens, which would have been a record fee for a National League player."
Who are Djurgården?
Djurgarden are a Swedish team located in central Stockholm. The Iron Stoves have had recent success to gloat about after winning the Svenska Cupen title in 2018 before going one better and winning the league title in 2019. However, European success came as recently as the 24/25 season, as they made the Conference League semi-finals but ultimately lost 5-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Chelsea.
This season Djurgarden currently sit fifth in the league but only two points away from third place with two games in hand. 1st place qualifies for the Champions League, whilst second and third go into Conference League qualification in the Allsvenskan. With the addition of Abdulmalik, Djurgården will look to give themselves another chance to make it into the Conference League. With a 13-point gap to the top of the table, Sirius with just a game in hand it looks unlikely but not impossible that Djurgården will top the league for the first time since 2019.
