Djurgardens to sign Boreham Wood winger Abdulmalik for National League record fee

Swedish club Djurgardens have agreed a National League record fee thought to be in excess of £1.5m to sign Boreham Wood winger Abdul Abdulmalik, with the deal agreed on Sunday morning. The player is 23 years old.

The transfer would eclipse the previous fee paid for a fifth-tier player in England, set in 2012 when Leicester City paid Fleetwood Town £1m for Jamie Vardy. Abdulmalik won the National League Cup with Boreham Wood last season. His club narrowly missed out on promotion to League Two.

The agreement brings to an end a long-running transfer saga. Boreham Wood had rejected bids of £1m and £1.5m earlier this summer. Those approaches preceded the acceptance of Djurgardens' offer.

Abdulmalik scored in his final appearance for Boreham Wood in mid-August and then made himself unavailable for selection in an attempt to secure a move. Clubs in England, including Peterborough United, had expressed interest in him. Abdulmalik 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."

He enjoyed a breakthrough 2025-26 season, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists as Boreham Wood reached the National League play-off final. At Wembley in the final he scored and set up a goal. A former Millwall academy player, Abdulmalik was released by Millwall in 2024 and had an unsuccessful trial at Portsmouth. He was previously an England Under-17s international.

Stockholm-based Djurgardens are currently fifth in the Allsvenskan, which runs from April to November. They have two games in hand on the majority of their rivals. The club remain in contention to qualify for Europe.

Abdulmalik is in Sweden completing a medical after the deal was agreed on Sunday morning. He will join a Djurgardens side that sit fifth in the Allsvenskan with two games in hand and remain in contention to qualify for Europe.