Boreham Wood forward Abdul Abdulmalik has asked to leave the club after a £1.5m bid from Swedish side Djurgarden was rejected. The 23-year-old, who scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists in 2025-26, helped Boreham Wood reach the National League play-off final, where he scored and assisted at Wembley. Manager Luke Garrard said "he is our player," but Abdulmalik stated he is "ready for the next challenge."

Abdulmalik, a former England under-17 international, came through Millwall's academy, winning consecutive Professional Development League South titles with the Under-21s in 2022-23 and 2023-24. However, he was released in 2024 and joined Boreham Wood as a free agent. The rejected offer would have broken the record fee for a fifth-tier player in England, set in 2012 when Leicester paid Fleetwood Town £1m for Jamie Vardy.

In a statement released by his agent, Abdulmalik emphasized his gratitude to the club and fans but expressed his ambition to progress. "Everyone at Boreham Wood FC and the incredible fans have played a massive part in my journey," he said. "You will always have my respect. With this said, I'm ready for the next challenge."

BBC Sport has contacted Boreham Wood for comment.