By
Arinze Izik
Swedish club Djurgården have completed the signing of forward Abdul Abdulmalik from Boreham Wood in a deal worth £1.5m — a new record sale for a player from England’s 5th tier.
The 23-year-old’s move comes after a standout 2025-26 campaign that put him on the radar of clubs across England and Europe.
Abdulmalik was instrumental for Boreham Wood last season, netting 17 goals and providing 10 assists. He played a key role in their run to the National League play-off final at Wembley, where he both scored and assisted.
The attacker came through Millwall’s academy and represented England at U17 level. He was also part of Millwall’s U21 side that won back-to-back Professional Development League South titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
A clear route to senior football didn’t open up at Millwall and he was released in 2024. Boreham Wood snapped him up on a free transfer, and the move proved to be a turning point. He quickly developed into one of the National League’s most dynamic attackers, known for both creating and finishing chances.
International Ambition
Off the pitch, Abdulmalik has also made a big decision. He has pledged his international allegiance to Nigeria.
He believes his style is closest to former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha.
But the forward knows breaking into Nigeria’s senior squad will require consistent performances at a higher level. Making the jump from non-league to top-flight football with Djurgården is seen as the next step in that journey.
Djurgården will be hoping their record investment pays off as Abdulmalik steps up to European football.
