Abdul Abdulmalik Ready for Next Challenge After £1.5m Djurgarden Bid
Abdul Abdulmalik insists he is “capable of reaching the top” after Boreham Wood rejected a £1.5m bid from Swedish side Djurgarden for the in-demand forward.
The National League club have already turned down an earlier £1m offer this month and are digging in. Manager Luke Garrard underlined that stance at the weekend, stressing “he is our player” after leaving Abdulmalik out of the squad for Saturday’s 3-0 win over Forest Green.
For Abdulmalik, though, this feels like a career crossroads.
“I’m ready for the next challenge”
In a statement released through his agent, the 23-year-old thanked the club and its support while making clear he wants to move on.
“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.”
His words carry weight because of what he has just produced. Abdulmalik exploded in the 2025-26 campaign, scoring 17 goals and laying on 10 assists as Boreham Wood surged to the National League play-off final. Under the arch at Wembley he delivered again, scoring and assisting in the showpiece.
That form has dragged him onto the radar of Djurgarden, one of Sweden’s established top-flight clubs. Their latest £1.5m offer would have set a new benchmark for a player from England’s fifth tier, eclipsing the £1m Leicester paid Fleetwood Town for Jamie Vardy back in 2012.
A rare chance – and a firm stance
Abdulmalik sees this as a window that might not open again.
“Through sheer hard work and perseverance, the opportunity to progress has come around,” he 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 ambition is clear. So is Boreham Wood’s refusal, for now, to cash in.
From Millwall release to record-breaking talk
Abdulmalik’s journey adds another layer to the tension. He came through Millwall’s academy, climbed through the youth ranks and represented England at under-17 level. He was a key figure in Millwall’s Under-21s, helping them to back-to-back Professional Development League South titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Then the pathway shut. First-team chances never truly opened up and he was released in 2024. Boreham Wood moved swiftly, picking him up on a free and giving him the platform he had been missing.
Two years on, that free transfer has turned into a multi-million-pound tug of war, with a potential record fee on the table and a player publicly stating his desire to climb.
Boreham Wood have been contacted for comment. The next move, on and off the pitch, could define Abdulmalik’s rise.
