Leeds United defender Sebastiaan Bornauw linked with Bundesliga outfit FC Cologne amid 'restructure' plot
Leeds United defender Sebastiaan Bornauw linked with former club FC Cologne
Leeds United defender Sebastiaan Bornauw has been linked with Bundesliga outfit FC Cologne, one of his former employers.
The 27-year-old made the move to Elland Road from Wolfsburg last summer for a reported £5m. An imposing centre-back, he was signed during a window in which Leeds targeted mostly physical profiles.
He arrived with an impressive CV, featuring four caps for the Belgium national team, but it has not been plain-sailing for Bornauw in England.
The defender has managed just four Premier League starts, facing stiff competition from Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Jaka Bijol and even full-back James Justin in the centre of defence.
Leeds United fringe player linked with Bundesliga outfit
According to German outlet Kicker, FC Cologne are planning to restructure their defence and Bornauwhas been mooted as a potential target.
It has been suggested the club need experience and Bornauw would certainly tick that box. He has played plenty of Bundesliga football and represented Cologne between 2019 and 2021, making 57 appearances before joining Wolfsburg.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke may be hesitant to lose a player of Bornauw’s calibre given the importance of squad depth, but the Belgian could be forgiven for seeking regular minutes away from Elland Road.
Talk of Leeds interest in centre-backs has only cast further doubt upon Bornauw’s future, as he is seeing very little action as it is.
The Whites have been credited with interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Santiago Bueno, as well as his teammate and fellow centre-back Ladislav Krejčí.
Sebastiaan Bornauw’s struggle for minutes at Leeds United
Earlier in the season, regarding Bornauw’s lack of action, Farke said: “He’s a really really good player and we are there with not one problem so far in the centre-back position. He has to just to be patient a little bit because I can’t blame any of the other guys because they have rarely put a foot wrong.
“Even Jaka Bijol has not done a foot wrong and would not be deserved to take Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk out at the moment. It’s tough for Sebastiaan right now because not to make it into the matchday squad for player of his calibre is difficult. It’s one of the the most difficult decisions at the moment. But this is how professional football works.”