FC Koln ‘to consider’ Leeds defender Sebastiaan Bornauw amid set-piece focus | OneFootball

Leeds United defender Sebastiaan Bornauw has re-emerged as a summer option for FC Koln as they seek aerial strength and improvement at set pieces in central defence.

Bild reports that Koln, 14th in the Bundesliga, will not trigger a permanent deal for loanee Cenk Ozkacar and plan to reshape at centre-back, with sporting director Thomas Kessler acknowledging set-piece shortcomings that must improve.

Bornauw, 27, joined Leeds from VfL Wolfsburg last summer and has largely been a squad option, making 12 Premier League appearances with five starts, the latest in a 1-0 win over Brighton earlier this month.

The six-foot-three centre-back fits the brief as a dominant aerial presence with threat at attacking set pieces, even if he has yet to score. Koln conceded 21 set-piece goals this season and scored only eight, with only Hamburger SV and Werder Bremen worse in the latter category.

Bornauw is viewed as a possible solution in both boxes, although any move would depend on the player and Leeds, and he has three years left on his contract. Defensive changes at Elland Road are possible, with Pascal Struijk’s final 12 months making him the likelier departure after an impressive campaign.

Chairman Paraag Marathe has signalled a strategic, disciplined summer under the new Squad Cost Ratio, indicating that players will arrive and depart as Leeds balance improvement with regulatory compliance.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk