Image source, Getty Images
Boreham Wood are adamant Abdulmalik is not for sale
A forward from the National League has found himself at the centre of one of the more unusual transfer stories of the summer.
Boreham Wood's Abdul Abdulmalik is attracting serious interest from Swedish top-flight side Djurgarden.
They have twice tested the National League club's resolve with bids and the latest offer totalled £1m.
That figure is significant. It would match the record direct sale by a National League club, the fee Leicester City paid Fleetwood Town for Jamie Vardy in 2012 before he went on to become a Premier League champion and England international.
But what have Djurgarden seen in Abdulmalik that convinced them he could be worth a record-equalling fee, and could he follow the path of players like Vardy who used non-league football as the launchpad for something much bigger?
Why does a Swedish club want to pay £1m for a National League player?
Image source, Getty Images
Abdulmalik scored and got an assist in the play-off final at Wembley
Abdul Abdulmalik's journey to becoming a seven-figure transfer target has been far from straightforward.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2025-26, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists as Boreham Wood reached the National League play-off final, where he scored and assisted at Wembley.
The forward came through Millwall's academy, progressing through the club's youth system and representing England at under-17 level.
He was part of the club's Under-21s successes - securing consecutive Professional Development League South titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
However, a pathway into consistent first-team football did not materialise and Abdulmalik was released in 2024.
Boreham Wood moved quickly to offer him a fresh opportunity, signing him as a free agent.
The move has proved transformative with Abdulmalik establishing himself as one of the National League's most exciting attacking players, with the ability to create and score goals.
Why is a club from Sweden interested?
Image source, Djurgardens (dif.se)
Max Hahn left West Ham following their relegation to the Championship
Djurgarden's interest in Abdul Abdulmalik fits a recruitment strategy built around identifying players before their value reaches anywhere near its peak and selling for profit.
The Swedish club recently appointed Max Hahn as sporting director after his time at West Ham United, where he worked as head of recruitment.
Hahn also worked under Sweden manager Graham Potter at West Ham, creating another link between English football and the Scandinavian market.
Under that structure, Djurgarden have continued to target players with the potential to develop and increase in value.
August Priske is a recent example. The Danish striker joined Djurgarden from Midtjylland in 2024 and enjoyed a breakthrough season in Sweden, scoring 18 league goals in 2025 before earning a move to Birmingham City in January 2026.
Abdulmalik represents a somewhat different route into that market.
He is not coming from an established European academy, but having kickstarted his career at Boreham Wood, Djurgarden will hope for a similar, profitable outcome.
