Bangladesh-bound winger Farhan Ali Wahid will no longer have the chance to face fellow Bangladesh international Hamza Choudhury in England after completing a loan move away from Fulham.
The two players had been on course for a potentially intriguing meeting in the EFL Trophy. Fulham Under-21s were scheduled to face Leicester City on 22 September, with Hamza expected to represent Leicester and Wahid potentially featuring for Fulham. That prospect has now disappeared following Wahid’s move to Boreham Wood.
Fulham have sent the young winger to the English fifth-tier club on a season-long loan, just two weeks after he made his first-team debut for the Premier League side.
Wahid made his Fulham senior debut against Norwich City in a pre-season friendly on 25 July. He subsequently featured against Al Ahli and Faresi, appearances that appeared to suggest he could have a role in Fulham’s plans for the new campaign.
The club have instead opted to send him out on loan, giving him the opportunity to gain more regular competitive football. For a young player seeking to establish himself at senior level, regular match exposure can be an important part of development, particularly when opportunities in a Premier League squad are limited.
Boreham Wood finished last season by reaching the National League play-off final. The club are due to begin their new campaign at home against Tamworth on Saturday, giving Wahid an immediate opportunity to compete for a place in a senior side.
The move also changes the route through which Wahid could continue his development ahead of a possible international career with Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Football Federation is working to complete the process of bringing Wahid into the national set-up for the September FIFA international window. If that process is completed, the winger could come into contention for Bangladesh during the forthcoming international fixtures.
That could eventually create another opportunity for Wahid to share the pitch with Hamza, although this time as a team-mate rather than an opponent. The possibility of the pair playing together could become particularly significant ahead of the upcoming SAFF Championship.
For Wahid, the immediate priority will be to establish himself at Boreham Wood, secure regular playing time and maintain his progress after making his first-team breakthrough at Fulham.
His move means the much-anticipated club meeting with Hamza will not happen as planned. But if the international eligibility and selection process progresses as intended, Bangladesh supporters may still get to see the two players together on the same side.
