Djurgarden have received the positive news that Abdul Abdulmalik and Lucca Gentil are now cleared to play. According to a report from FotbollDirekt, their residence and work permits were approved by the Swedish Migration Agency on Wednesday, making them available for the cup match against IFK Haninge. The team currently sits second in Allsvenskan with 38 points from 20 games, seven points behind leaders Sirius.
Who can play against IFK Haninge?
Abdul Abdulmalik and Lucca Gentil will be able to make their official debuts for the club as early as tomorrow's cup match. The game against IFK Haninge will be played at Stockholm Stadion, Djurgarden's former home ground, despite Haninge being listed as the home team. One player who will not be eligible, however, is Charlie Rosenqvist. He has already represented Kalmar FF in this year's cup competition and is therefore unavailable under the competition rules. The club has published its full squad online.
How have other signings handled permits?
The process of getting players cleared can take time. One example is Angelo Agbejoye, who had his Swedish work permit approved almost three months after joining Djurgarden. The clearance for Abdulmalik and Gentil comes at an important stage for the team, which is coming off a strong run of league form with four consecutive wins before a recent loss. They have scored 44 goals in 20 Allsvenskan rounds.
What does this mean for Djurgarden's upcoming schedule?
With two new players ready to contribute, the manager gains more options ahead of a demanding period of matches. Following the cup tie against IFK Haninge, an important away league match against IF Brommapojkarna awaits on October 18th. Brommapojkarna are tenth in the table. Djurgarden's complete fixtures show the full path ahead. The team's defensive strength, with only 19 goals conceded, is a key foundation for success.
The clearance news arrived on Wednesday, giving the players one day before the cup match kicks off. It is a concrete and welcome update for a team fighting at the top of the standings. The next on-field test is at Stockholm Stadion tomorrow.
