Leeds United signed 10 new players going into this season, and immensely upgraded the squad. Because of their recruitment, they have been able to navigate this season.
Daniel Farke’s side have slipped into the relegation zone briefly this season, but they have kept their heads above water. Some signings have had a big impact on their team, like Anton Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Others have not played much but have been solid rotation options.
This weekend saw Jaka Bijol star in the 3-1 win over Burnley on Friday night. The Slovenian has been a spectacular signing for the club, and has benefitted from the formation switch near the end of last year.
Leeds United star listed as a ‘priority’ target this summer
Bijol took a while to make his way into the first team, but has not looked back since. Coming to Elland Road with the expectations of being a big signing from a top European league, the center back has handled things really well and has not looked out of place in the Premier League.
When speaking about Jaka Bijol, you cannot ignore Sebastiaan Bornauw – the Belgian was the other defender signed in the summer. Daniel Farke explained the reason why the duo took a while to adapt is because they joined late in pre-season. Bornauw has not been called upon much this season; he has made 14 appearances in all competitions with just nine coming in the Premier League.
He was linked with an exit in January, with FC Koln showing interest. According to BILD, the Bundesliga side are keen on adding a center back, with Sebastiaan Bornauw seen as a ‘top candidate’ for the position. There is nothing to point to Leeds’ stance on the defender’s future at this point of the season.
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Sebastiaan Bornauw deal just hasn’t worked out
Signing Sebastiaan Bornauw just has not worked out for Leeds United, and most of it is not down to the player’s ability. Whenever the Belgian has got the chance to play, he has impressed. He did not look out of place in the games against Liverpool and Manchester United. Just like with Bijol, Bornauw was unfortunate to have joined the team late and did not get the chance to play early on. And trying to get in a team where Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol have been performing to a top level will be very difficult. It will be interesting to see what happens with the 27-year old this summer.
