Millwall may regret letting forward once linked with Arsenal depart - He’s tearing up the lower leagues | OneFootball

The ex-Lions prospect is tearing up the National League with high-flying Boreham Wood

In recent times, Millwall have unearthed several gems and played a handful of trump cards in the transfer market that has allowed for steady progression in the Championship.

Alex Neil is currently the beneficiary of such developments, with the Lions nicely positioned amongst the play-off pack in the early weeks of the 2025/26 season due to a recent string of largely positive results.

Many have seen the South London club as the epitome of an 'established' second tier outfit ever since their most-recent promotion campaign from League One, which came all the way back in the 2016/17 campaign under Neil Harris.

The Lions' modern-day great - across two spells - Gary Rowett, Joe Edwards and now Neil, have all attempted to break a play-off curse which seems to hang over the club despite embarking on last-ditch runs to gatecrash the top-six.

At present, though, the Scot continues to boast a side which has a nice and impressive blend of seasoned Championship campaigners and attacking flair across all departments, with the likes of Tristan Crama, Femi Azeez, Thierno Ballo and Mihailo Ivanovic not too far away from regular headlines as a result.

However, Neil and the hierarchy may not be too grateful to the aforementioned Harris when it comes to a potential missed opportunity to make even more profit in the market, with former academy figure, Abdul Abdulmalik currently ripping up the National League stage for promotion hopefuls, Boreham Wood.

Abdul Abdulmalik was highly-rated during his academy years with Millwall FC

Abdulmalik is currently at the front and centre of an unexpected promotion push for the non-league side, who only just regained their sixth-tier status at the end of last season.

Indeed, the 22-year-old was a product of the Lions' Well Hall academy setup and remained very highly-rated within those confines and across the capital.

During the infancy of what could still become a respectable career, Abdulmalik's signature was courted by Arsenal in June 2021, during a time when he'd impressed majorly in an FA Youth Cup run, scoring four times in six appearances for the Lions, who were at risk of losing his services due to the fact he was yet to sign a professional contract.

This also came when the three-time England Under-17 international held trials with both Southampton and Watford, whilst Championship rivals, Swansea City, saw an approach of their own knocked back.

Just two seasons later, the forward was integral in a success-laden campaign for Kevin Nugent's Under-21s, as he ended the campaign as the age group's top scorer as they won the Professional Development League's Southern Division and National finals.

However, as good as his potential appeared to be, it would never be realised in SE16 despite the penning of a fresh contract in June 2023, as he left the club 12 months later on a free transfer.

Millwall FC may have Abdul Abdulmalik transfer regret amid Boreham Wood form

With the benefit of hindsight, it may be obvious that those within the Millwall hierarchy may feel more of a regret over such developments than Neil, who was appointed five months after Abdulmalik departed and moved to Meadow Park.

Of course, comparing the Championship and National League South is chalk and cheese in the eyes of many, but the man who has often been positioned as a central attacking midfielder or left-winger by Luke Garrard, posted 10 assists and netted three times in 32 appearances en route to promotion last term.

However, goals have certainly been added to his game in 2025/26, with the Hertfordshire side sitting in promotion contention alongside clubs like Carlisle United after less than halfway through the season, despite the fact the two clubs were as many divisions apart this time last year.

Indeed, a spectacular finish of Abdulmalik's against Aldershot Town has caught the attention of many, as well as winning the National League's Player of the Month for October, and after 17 fifth tier appearances this season, the attacking midfielder/winger had already scored five goals for the campaign.

As such, many believe it's only a matter of time before an EFL return beckons for the forward, be it for 'the Wood' or a League One or League Two side, leaving those in South London to potentially question why they didn't utilise his services or hold out until a sufficient bid arose.