FC Koln ‘to eye’ Sebastiaan Bornauw amid set-piece focus | OneFootball

Sebastiaan Bornauw has re-emerged as a potential summer target for FC Koln, with central defence a priority after set-piece struggles.

The Belgian joined Leeds from VfL Wolfsburg for €six million (£5.2m) last summer, taking a squad role. He made 12 Premier League appearances, five of them starts, the latest in a 1-0 win over Brighton earlier this month.

“We informed him [Ozkacar] that we will not be exercising the purchase option. As a person, Cenk is a huge loss.” Sporting director Thomas Kessler was speaking to Bild.

“Despite the negative news, our final conversation was very positive; he wished us and the club all the best. But we did have issues with set pieces, both offensively and defensively. We need to improve in that area.”

Koln conceded 21 goals from set pieces in 2025/26, the most in the Bundesliga. They scored only eight at the other end, better than only Hamburger SV and Werder Bremen.

Bornauw, at six ft three ins, is strong in the air and has defended crosses well for Leeds. He has not scored, though his attacking set-piece presence has been evident.

He is seen as a possible option to address both boxes, but it remains unclear whether he or Leeds would sanction a move. The 27-year-old has three years left on the deal signed last summer and has shown no obvious desire to cut it short.

Leeds could reshape in defence, with Pascal Struijk entering the final 12 months of his contract after an impressive return to the Premier League. Chairman Paraag Marathe told supporters the new Squad Cost Ratio will guide a strategic and disciplined window, and players will arrive and depart accordingly.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk