When Leeds United finalise their £5.1m move for defender Sebastiaan Bornauw it will end a five-year wait for Daniel Farke and make the player's wish come true.
As reported exclusively by the YEP on Monday morning, Bornauw was due to have a medical at Thorp Arch today to complete the move from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, where he has just a year left on his contract. The centre-half stands at 6ft 2ins and will become the Whites' third signing of the summer transfer window after free agent Lukas Nmecha and £15m Jaka Bijol. All three players are 26 years old and add height and physicality to Farke's squad ahead of the club's return to the Premier League.
This is not the first time Bornauw has had the opportunity to work with Farke, however. In 2021 Bornauw revealed that Farke's Norwich City were one of the English clubs who made proposals after he helped FC Köln escape relegation from the Bundesliga. The Pink Un reported in October 2021 that relegation would have activated a clause in Bornauw's contract that allowed him to leave for less than his market value. When they stayed up, however, FC Köln were able to ask for more money and the Belgian international ended up moving to Wolfsburg for £11.5m.
Speaking after his move Bornauw explained to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that he had rejected the chance to move to England but still held hopes of playing in the Premier League one day.
“I can taste the Champions League here at a German top club; this was the best choice," he said. “I am very happy here. I am not thinking too much ahead yet, but one day I would like to play in the Premier League. That has been a dream since I was little. Norwich and Crystal Palace were interested, as was Lazio, but Wolfsburg was the best choice at the time. The Bundesliga is not inferior to the Premier League, but one day, I want to make the step to England.”
Instead of signing Bornauw, Farke was given Schalke's Ozan Kabak on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent. Bornauw has gone on to play almost 100 games for Wolfsburg and leaves German football with 140 Bundesliga appearances to his name, with 11 league goals.
Continue Reading