Swedish club lands National League record transfer for winger

Djurgardens have agreed to pay over £1.5m for Abdul Abdulmalik, surpassing the previous fifth-tier record set by Jamie Vardy's move in 2012. The 23-year-old scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists last season as Boreham Wood reached the play-off final. He is currently in Sweden completing a medical after the deal was finalized on Sunday.

The fee represents a landmark moment for the National League, more than doubling the previous record and underscoring how lower-league English clubs can now command significant sums for standout performers. Abdulmalik's path was not straightforward: released by Millwall's academy in 2024 and unsuccessful in a trial at Portsmouth, he rebuilt his career at Boreham Wood before this breakthrough campaign.

Boreham Wood rejected two earlier offers this summer before accepting this third bid, ending a saga that saw the player make himself unavailable for selection after scoring in mid-August. Djurgardens, currently fifth in Sweden's Allsvenskan with games in hand, are adding the winger mid-season as they push for European qualification, with the league running from April to November.