Abdul Abdulmalik is having seven-figure bids rejected for him just five years after a failed trial at Pompey

Abdul Abdulmalik was a Pompey triallist who was told he had no future at Fratton Park after two weeks of training with Danny Cowley’s then first team back in 2021.

Fast forward to the present day, though, and the Blues might be kicking themselves for letting the former Millwall youngster slip from their grasp.

A highly-rated, up-and-coming forward at The Den and someone whom former Pompey midfielder Shaun Williams had recommended, Abdulmalik would have cost the Fratton Park a compensation fee only if he had been allowed to swap south London for the south coast.

It would hardly have broken the bank as the Blues prepared for a fourth successive season in League One.

Now, five years on from his Pompey rejection, the winger could be about to break the record for the highest transfer fee received by an English non-league side for a player.

The current record is held by Jamie Vardy, who joined Leicester from then Blue Square Premier side Fleetwood Town for a reported £1m in 2012.

But that could be soon smashed after National League Boreham Wood rejected a £1m offer from Swedish side Djurgardens for their star man, according to Sky Sports News.

It’s the second time last year’s beaten play-off finalists have rejected the Allsvenskan outfit’s overtures this summer, after a £750,000 offer was met with the same response.

That shows how serious Djurgardens’ interest in Abdulmalik is.

It also demonstrates that Boreham Wood will be no pushovers if the Swedes return with a third offer that would need to break all previous records.

And rightly so, after the 23-year-old former Millwall youngster registered 18 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season as the Hertfordshire outfit finished fourth in the National League table and only missed out on promotion to the Football League following their penalty shootout defeat to Rochdale at Wembley.

Abdulmalik recorded a goal and assist in that loss. He was also named last season’s National League Young Player of the Year.

He joined Boreham Wood on a free transfer in July 2024 after his long association with Millwall came to an end without him making a senior appearance for the Lions.

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Abdul Abdulmalik’s Pompey trial

Abdulmalik was one of 10 triallists welcomed to Pompey by Cowley as he prepared for his first full season in charge at Fratton Park.

However, only three earned stays at PO4 - Gassan Ahadme, Jay Mingi and Jayden Reid.

As a result, Abdulmalik joined the likes of Jake Hesketh and Madger Gomes in being told their time at the club had come to an end.

As always, there’s no guarantee the player’s career would have kicked on at the Blues if he had earned a contract.

But with Djurgardens and reported potential interest in France demonstrating that the player is beginning to finally fulfil his potential, there will be a degree of regret on Pompey’s part.

After all, the Blues’ player-trading model is well-known. Meanwhile, the Championship outfit remain on the lookout for wingers as John Mousinho’s current wide attacking options continue to give him his biggest headache approaching the 2026-27 campaign.

Subsequently, Pompey continue to look for ways to bring Abu Kamara back to Fratton Park following his successful 2023-24 loan. In addition, Chelsea youngster Ryan Kavuma-McQueen has also been linked with a loan switch to PO4 in recent days.

So far, the Blues have attempted to reinforce their options in those key attacking areas with the signings of teenagers Eoin Kenny and Luke Brooke-Smith as Josh Murphy, Harvey Blair and Franco Umeh struggle with injuries.

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