Norwegian top-flight side Molde FK have completed the permanent signing of promising Ghanaian attacker Jalal Abdulai from Swedish club IF Elfsborg, committing the 21-year-old to a four-year contract ahead of the upcoming football season.
Abdulai initially joined the Eliteserien outfit on loan during the 2025 campaign and impressed during his spell at the Aker Stadion. Following his performances, Molde have now moved to make the deal permanent, ensuring the former Inter Allies graduate remains at the club until the end of the 2029 season.
The Ghanaian forward quickly established himself as a dangerous attacking outlet during his loan stint, combining pace and physical strength to trouble opposing defenders throughout the season. His standout moment came in a match against Bodø/Glimt, where his blistering speed was clocked at 37.1 km/h, the fastest sprint ever recorded at Aker Stadion.
A statement confirming the capturing of the Ghanaian winger reads:
“We are very pleased to announce that Jalal Abdullai (21) has signed a permanent deal with the club. The Ghanaian striker comes from IF Elfsborg and has signed a four-year contract that runs until the 2029 season.”
“Jalal made his mark during the 2025 season on loan at Molde, where he recorded 8 goals and points in 22 games. With his enormous physique and extreme speed, he was a source of concern for defenders. During last year’s meeting with Bodø/Glimt, he was measured at a top speed of an incredible 37.1 km/h – the fastest speed ever measured at Aker Stadion.”
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After finalising his return to Molde, Abdulai expressed his excitement about continuing his journey with the club, revealing that the environment he experienced during his loan spell played a key role in his decision:
“I am very happy to be here. The way I was treated last year made it feel like family, and I have never experienced anything like it in my entire life. I turned down many other clubs to come back to Molde. Even my mother told me that if I am happy here, I have to go back.”
Molde’s sporting director Ole Jakob Strandhagen also welcomed the deal, highlighting the club’s determination to bring the Ghanaian back despite initial challenges in negotiations with Elfsborg:
“We are very happy to have Jalal back to Molde. He is a player we know very well, and he has always been clear that he wanted to come back. We greatly appreciate that, and it is also a tribute to the entire club.”
“Elfsborg initially did not want to sell Jalal. We of course respect this, which made the process difficult. It was resolved in the end, and we thank Elfsborg for being so solution-oriented. We had an option that we chose not to exercise in December due to the overall economics of the agreement, but we have now put in place an agreement that we could accept, even though it is still a significant investment.”
Abdulai attracted interest from several European clubs during the transfer window, with teams such as Swansea City, Queens Park Rangers, KRC Genk, RSC Anderlecht, FC Midtjylland, and FC Copenhagen reportedly monitoring his situation before Molde secured his signature.
During his loan spell in the 2025–26 Eliteserien season, the winger made 14 appearances, scoring four goals and providing one assist for the Norwegian side.
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Despite his rising profile in Europe, Abdulai is still awaiting his first call-up to represent Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, on the international stage.
