Sebastiaan Bornauw has completed his farewell to Leeds United supporters ahead of finalising his switch to German club Hamburg SV, having arrived at the Yorkshire club just over twelve months prior.
The Belgium international defender is set for a swift return to his home country following a brief stint at Elland Road. The centre-back featured fourteen times during the previous campaign under Daniel Farke’s management after penning a four-year deal following his £5.1million transfer.
Despite his limited opportunities on the pitch, the 27-year-old remained highly regarded by his manager for the quality he brought to the squad. Having expressed his gratitude to supporters through social media, Bornauw was met with warm messages from his colleagues at the club.
After publishing an emotional post directed at the Leeds faithful, the defender received an overwhelming response from teammates. Several first-team players responded with their own tributes and well-wishes through the platform.
The previous week, Farke had acknowledged Bornauw’s contribution to the club and emphasised his worth to the team despite not being a regular starter.
Farke explained that while every player naturally desires to feature in every match, Bornauw had proven invaluable during his time at the club. He noted that when the defender did start games, his performance metrics were among the highest in the squad, and he demonstrated versatility across different defensive positions.
The German manager stated that when a player behaves professionally and expresses a desire for a fresh challenge, the club takes such wishes into consideration. He described having transparent discussions with Bornauw about his future.
Farke expressed his admiration for the player, recalling how eager he had been to bring him to the club twelve months prior, highlighting that squads require depth beyond just first-choice players. He emphasised that Bornauw had shown throughout pre-season and the previous campaign exactly how valuable he could be, adding that he would be content if the defender remained.
The manager concluded that out of respect for Bornauw’s professional conduct and achievements, the club would carefully consider his wishes should he be determined to pursue other opportunities, while awaiting the outcome of ongoing negotiations in the coming days.