Abdullah Iqbal Reacts to No Move This Winter

In an Interview with Fotboll Skanlen Abdullah Iqbal has admitted it was “tough” to accept Mjällby AIF’s decision to block his move this winter, despite interest from clubs like Gent, Ferencváros and Kasımpaşa. The 23-year-old Danish-Pakistani center-back, who played a key role in Mjällby’s Swedish Championship triumph last season, felt the time was right to take the next step in his career. “I couldn’t go last summer and I understood that because we wanted to win the league. Now we won it, and I saw it as an agreement that you could then move on,” Iqbal said, reflecting on his situation after the club reportedly rejected what their sporting director described as “crap offers.”

Although disappointed, Iqbal says he has come to terms with staying. “The first step for me is to accept the situation and move on. Of course I want to help the team as much as possible, and for that I have to focus on where I am. It was tough, but that’s part of football. I have great people around me and that made it easier. Now I’m just focused on working hard and performing,” he added, stressing that his motivation will return fully once the season and cup competitions begin.

Head coach Karl Marius Aksum has no concerns about Iqbal’s professionalism, even after the defender openly expressed his desire to leave. “It’s completely okay for me that Abdullah says he wants a move — it’s natural. But he’s super professional and one of the leaders in the team, which is why I put him on the players’ council,” Aksum said. He emphasized that Mjällby have already lost key players in recent windows and did not want to sell more this time, adding that players who perform well at the club will eventually get their chance to move on — even if it comes a little later than expected.