Leeds United have already made a number of strikes in an try to bolster their taking part in squad forward of their return to the Premier League subsequent season.
The summer season switch window has been open for a lot of weeks now, and the Championship champions have added Jaka Bijol, Lukas Nmecha, and Sebastiaan Bornauw to the group.
The Whites reportedly agreed a charge of round £5m with Wolfsburg to deliver Bornauw to Elland Highway as their most up-to-date addition to the squad, to bolster their centre-back ranks.
Daniel Farke now has a plethora of central defensive choices to select from, together with Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Ethan Ampadu, Bijol, and Bornauw, though he lately misplaced one when Max Wober accomplished a mortgage transfer to Werder Bremen.
The German head coach might be hoping that he now has sufficient high quality in that place to type the core of a powerful defensive unit that can lead the staff to Premier League survival.
It does stay to be seen, although, precisely what kind of position Bornauw will play for Leeds subsequent time period, having been signed after Bijol, with Rodon and Struijk additionally already on the membership.
Why Sebastiaan Bornauw will not be a starter for Leeds
The competitors that he has forward of him within the centre-back place means that the Belgian central defender has been introduced in to offer depth on the again.
That isn’t to say that it’s not possible for him to emerge as a beginning calibre-option for Farke if his performances are adequate, but it surely at present seems like Rodon and Struijk, who had been common starters within the Championship, and Bijol, who has been signed for £15m, are forward of him within the pecking order.
One more reason why Bornauw could also be considered as a back-up possibility by Farke initially is due to his prolonged profession damage historical past in Germany.
Throughout his time with Koln and Wolfsburg, the Belgium worldwide has missed plenty of matches by means of damage in his profession, which is a slight concern.
Sebastiaan Bornauw’s damage historical past | ||
|---|---|---|
Season | Accidents | Video games missed |
24/25 | 4 | 18 |
23/24 | 1 | 2 |
21/22 | 1 | 2 |
20/21 | 1 | 13 |
19/20 | 1 | 2 |
18/19 | 3 | 19 |
16/17 | 1 | 12 |
Stats through Transfermarkt | ||
Nonetheless, as you possibly can see within the desk above, Bornauw missed 18 video games by means of damage, with 4 separate points, within the 2024/25 marketing campaign, which reveals that he has a latest monitor document of being constantly unavailable.
This doesn’t recommend that Bornauw is the form of participant who Farke can moderately depend on to be out there to begin week-in-week-out within the Premier League, which is why he will not be considered as a starter, at the least at this second in time.
Leeds, nevertheless, at the moment are reportedly all in favour of signing one other defender who would are available as an excellent higher signing than the previous Wolfsburg man, as he might be a starter for the Premier League new boys.
Leeds closing in on new defender
Based on the Yorkshire Night Publish, Leeds United are near securing a deal to signal Lille left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson to bolster their squad.
The report claims that the Whites are closing in on a swoop for the Sweden worldwide, as they appear to make him their fourth signing of the summer season switch window.
It provides that talks are persevering with over a possible transfer for the 26-year-old full-back, but it surely stays to be seen how a lot cash it’s going to take to strike an settlement with Lille, as he’s valued at round £6m by Transfermarkt.
The Yorkshire Night Publish additionally reveals that Gudmundsson might fly to England on Sunday to finalise a swap to West Yorkshire if all goes nicely in negotiations, presumably to finish a medical and agree private phrases.
This newest replace means that the Whites might have their fourth signing within the constructing briefly order, and he might be an excellent higher signing than their third one.
Why Gudmundsson might be a greater signing than Bornauw
Leeds might safe an excellent higher signing than Bornauw by getting a deal over the road to deliver Gudmundsson to Elland Highway within the coming days, as a result of he has the potential to be a daily starter within the defence.
While the Belgian colossus could also be a back-up possibility initially, for the aforementioned causes, the Swedish star would arrive as the one senior left-back on the membership.
Junior Firpo has already moved on from West Yorkshire and Sam Byram’s future stays a thriller, as his deal expired on the finish of final month, which signifies that Farke doesn’t have any senior choices in that place.
Gudmundsson, who began 20 matches in Ligue 1 for Lille final season, can be in pole place to be the beginning left-back for Leeds subsequent time period, as a result of there are at present no gamers within the constructing who might problem him for that position.
Which means that the left-footed whiz might be a part of the membership as a right away starting-calibre possibility for Farke, while Bornauw might start the season as a back-up centre-back initially.
Stats *per 90 | Gudmundsson (24/25 Ligue 1) | Percentile rank vs full-backs |
|---|---|---|
Go accuracy | 82% | High 31% |
Progressive passes* | 4.59 | High 34% |
Progressive carries* | 3.58 | High 5% |
Profitable take-ons* | 1.01 | High 30% |
Non-penalty objectives* | 0.10 | High 20% |
Crosses into penalty space | 0.50 | High 36% |
Stats through FBref | ||
As you possibly can see within the desk above, Gudmundsson showcased plenty of high quality in possession for Lille in his appearances within the French top-flight final season, rating extremely as a progressive left-back, who can get his staff up the pitch with each passes and carries.
These statistics recommend that the left-footed star, who was described as a “enjoyable” participant and a “risk-taker” by reporter Joe Donnohue, might swimsuit Farke’s ball-dominant type of play, as he’s comfy in possession and has proven he can constantly progress play down the left while taking part in in a significant European league.
General, Gudmundsson seems to have the standard to step in as a right away starter for Leeds, as a direct alternative for Firpo, which means that he’ll are available as a key operator within the Premier League subsequent season.
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Bornauw, nevertheless, might should accept a back-up position, at the least at first, and that’s the reason the Lille star would are available as an excellent higher signing for the membership within the right here and now.
