Abdul Abdulmalik Ready for Next Challenge After Djurgarden Bid
Abdul Abdulmalik insists he is “capable of reaching the top” after Boreham Wood turned down a £1.5m bid from Swedish side Djurgarden for the in-demand forward.
The National League club have already rejected an earlier £1m offer this month and are standing firm. Manager Luke Garrard underlined that stance at the weekend, bluntly stating “he is our player” after leaving the 23-year-old out of Boreham Wood’s 3-0 win over Forest Green.
For Abdulmalik, though, the moment feels too big to ignore.
In a statement released through his agent, he paid tribute to the club and its support before making his position clear.
“Everyone at Boreham Wood FC and the incredible fans have played a massive part in my journey. You will always have my respect,” he said.
“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.”
The timing of the interest is no accident. Abdulmalik is coming off a breakout 2025-26 campaign in which he scored 17 goals and supplied 10 assists, driving Boreham Wood to the National League play-off final. Under the arch at Wembley, he both scored and assisted, stamping his name on the biggest game of the club’s season.
Djurgarden’s latest offer would smash the record fee paid for a player from England’s fifth tier. That mark has stood since 2012, when Leicester City paid Fleetwood Town £1m for Jamie Vardy. The Swedes have gone beyond that, only to be told no.
For the player, it feels like a door he cannot allow to close.
“Through sheer hard work and perseverance, the opportunity to progress has come around,” Abdulmalik continued. “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.
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.”
His determination is rooted in a journey that has already taken a few sharp turns. Abdulmalik came through Millwall’s academy, rose through the youth ranks and represented England at under-17 level. He was a key part of Millwall’s Under-21s, helping them secure back-to-back Professional Development League South titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Yet the senior breakthrough never truly arrived. In 2024, Millwall released him. Boreham Wood stepped in and signed him on a free, and within two seasons he had become one of the National League’s standout forwards.
Now, with a record bid on the table and a player openly pushing for the move, the standoff is clear. Djurgarden want him. Abdulmalik wants the step up. Boreham Wood, for the moment, do not want to sell.
BBC Sport has contacted Boreham Wood for comment.
