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One of the most talked about footballers playing non-league in England is Abdul Abdulmalik, who is attracting interest from Swedish top flight side Djurgarden, reports OwnGoalNigeria.com.
They have twice tested the National League club’s resolve with bids and the latest bid amounted to £1m.
That figure is significant. It would equal the record for direct sale made by a National League club, the fee Leicester City paid Fleetwood Town for Jamie Vardy in 2012 before he became a Premier League champion and England international.
Abdul Abdulmalik’s path to becoming a seven-figure transfer target has not been easy.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough 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 striker came through Millwall’s academy, progressed through the club’s youth system and represented England at under-17 level. He was part of the U-21 club’s successes, winning consecutive Southern Professional Development League titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
However, a path to consistent first-team football did not materialize and Abdulmalik was released in 2024. Boreham Wood acted quickly to offer him a new opportunity, signing him as a free agent.
The move has proven to be transformative, as Abdulmalik establishes himself as one of the most exciting attacking players in the National League, with the ability to create and score goals.
With all eyes on him and his next move, he has committed his international future to Nigeria and believes he is the closest to former captain and Super Eagles legend Austine Okocha.
However, he knows that for that to materialize he must move from non-league football to a higher league and abandon consistent performances due to the competitive nature of the Nigerian senior team.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
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