Leeds United will have plenty of defensive competition once the Belgian’s move is confirmed.
Leeds United look set to welcome a second centre-back through the door this summer as Sebastiaan Bornauw’s move from VfL Wolfsburg edges closer.
The YEP exclusively reported on Leeds’ pursuit of Bornauw on Monday morning, with the 26-year-old due to undergo medical tests at Thorp Arch that same day. Elland Road chiefs had already agreed a €6million (£5.14m) fee with Wolfsburg for their defender, who has 12 months left on his current contract and is expected to sign a four-year deal in West Yorkshire.
Naturally a right-footed centre-back, Bornauw is obviously most comfortable in the position Joe Rodon has filled so impeccably since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur. But like most modern defenders, he is not limited to that role and the YEP has looked at three ways Leeds can get the best out of their new signing.
Joe Rodon cover
Sebastiaan Bornauw as cover for Joe Rodonplaceholder image
Sebastiaan Bornauw as cover for Joe Rodon | Lineup-builder.com
It would take a brave manager to instantly drop Rodon, given he played all but about five minutes of last season’s Championship title triumph and could easily have been crowned player of the season, but there was a worrying lack of cover for the fan favourite. On the face of it, Bornauw provides exactly that, keeping the level high should suspension or injury arrive.
Leeds cannot afford to have any obvious gaps in their starting line-up next season and so the presence of a four-cap Belgian international with more than 170 senior appearances under his belt offers that insurance. Of course, it’s not impossible he manages to usurp Rodon at some point, but for now it feels like the Welshman’s spot to lose.
Formation change
Sebastiaan Bornauw in a back three.placeholder image
Sebastiaan Bornauw in a back three. | Lineup-builder.com
Leeds appear keen to really shore things up at the back next season - not that they were particularly leaky anyway - and in games where it’s needed, Farke might be tempted to utilise his newfound centre-back depth. The German has switched formation mid-game on occasion and could use Bornauw as the more central option of a back-three, with two of Rodon, Jaka Bijol or Pascal Struijk either side.
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That tweak would certainly improve Leeds’ set-piece presence, both defensively and attacking, while it would also allow naturally forward-thinking full-backs like Jayden Bogle the freedom to roam. It would, however, make any midfield pair vulnerable to being overrun, given Premier League teams often have three in the middle of the park and are likely to be technically superior.
Right-back strength
Sebastiaan Bornauw at right-backplaceholder image
Sebastiaan Bornauw at right-back | Lineup-builder.com
Bornauw has also spent a decent enough amount of minutes at right-back for Farke to call on him there if needed, and his presence could allow Leeds to adopt an approach that has become increasingly common across the Premier League. In this instance, the Belgian would be at right-back when defending before shifting in to be on the right of a back-three, allowing an attack-minded left-back to bomb on without risking too much defensively.
Farke places huge importance on his full-backs in the attacking phase of play and so this would allow someone like a Junior Firpo - or known target Gabriel Gudmundsson - to make himself an option going forward without huge holes appearing behind him. And like with the back-three option, it increases Leeds’ set-piece threat significantly, something recruitment chiefs are clearly trying to work on this summer.
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