Leeds United are in dire straits after losing six of their last seven Premier League games, and are firmly sitting in the relegation zone.
The Whites spent more than £100m in the summer on ten new signings as Daniel Farke sought to overhaul the squad that won the Championship and earned promotion last season.
Leeds claimed at the end of the summer window that they maxed out their PSR spending and could not have done anything more without selling one or two of their key stars
The Whites needed every penny spent to improve the squad, but it is hard to make that claim without spotting the money they wasted on certain players, especially Sebastiaan Bornauw.
Leeds United signing Sebastiaan Bornauw continues to baffle everyone
Leeds forked out more than £5m to sign the centre-back in the summer transfer window. However, there were signs that the Whites were making a mistake.
Bornauw’s last two seasons at Wolfsburg were difficult, and he did struggle with injury last year, which should have been a major red flag.
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 15 | 2 | — | 784′ |
| DFB Cup | 1 | — | — | 90′ |
| Total 24/25: | 16 | 2 | — | 874′ |
However, Leeds went ahead with his signing, and an injury during pre-season was an early indication of what was to happen over the next few months.
The centre-back has made just one appearance in the EFL Cup and is still waiting for his Premier League debut. He was even struggling to make matchday squads regularly before suffering a fresh knee injury.
Bornauw remains on the fringes of the Leeds squad and is a prime example of how Leeds wasted money in the summer. It was a laughable piece of recruitment from sporting director Adam Underwood.
Leeds were not in a position to waste money on players who were not going to improve the starting eleven in the summer. However, Bornauw was neither a value addition to the team nor the squad.
The club would find it hard to shift him out in January or the summer, given his injuries and his inability to get even a single minute of league football for a team sitting 18th in the Premier League table.
He is a lesson for the January window
Leeds are in the market for attackers in the winter transfer window. However, they cannot afford to bring in players who are going to be squad fillers.
The Whites need players who can walk straight into the starting eleven and improve the quality of the team.
Bornauw is a good example of what happens when clubs in Leeds’ position seek to pad out the squad rather than improve the starting eleven.
If Leeds bring in the starting eleven quality players, it will improve the squad and increase competition for places in the team. Too many players are almost certain to start under Farke, and that needs to change soon.
The former Wolfsburg defender has been unfortunate. However, he could be the marker for what Leeds must avoid doing in the next few transfer windows.
