Credit: Imago

James Barker

Wed 1 April 2026 8:10, UK

Sebastiaan Bornauw needs to be part of Daniel Farke’s Leeds United starting lineup when they take on West Ham United in the FA Cup quarter-final.

The 27-year-old defender made the move to Leeds in this season’s summer transfer window, joining from German Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg.

A four-cap Belgian international, Bornauw arrived at Elland Road with some good pedigree to his name, with six seasons playing in the Bundesliga across spells with Wolfsburg and FC Koln respectively, prior to starting his career with Anderlecht.

So, it was expected that he would come in and really push Leeds’ existing centre-back options, such as Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, for a place in the starting XI.

However, that hasn’t really happened, having appeared in just nine Premier League matches, with only four of those seeing him in from the start.

Why Daniel Farke should start Sebastiaan Bornauw vs West Ham

Bornauw signed a four-year contract with Leeds last summer, meaning he’s contracted in West Yorkshire until 2029.

Time, therefore, remains firmly on his side to make a success of his time at Elland Road…or does it?

Well, perhaps not, as the sheer fact that he’s only made 13 appearances in all competitions for Leeds this season suggests there aren’t many further down in Farke’s pecking order than he is.

Now, should Leeds end up being relegated and back in the Championship for 2026-27, then Bornauw would likely be primed to step into a much larger role in the second tier.

If they are to stay up, however, then the additional riches that will bring to the Club would surely see further funds ploughed into the defence this summer, and thus even more competition in a fight for status that he’s already losing.

Therefore, Farke should see Leeds’ FA Cup quarter-final clash with West Ham on Sunday as the perfect chance to put Bornauw in from the start, and see how he does.

Leeds chiefs need to know who is and isn’t going to be part of the furniture moving forward ASAP, so that informed transfer decisions can be made this summer.

Thus, they need to be sure they know what they have in Bornauw before making any call on his future.

Leeds’ upcoming league games are too vital to risk Bornauw in

Of course, everyone connected with Leeds won’t be undervaluing the size of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final.

It’s a competition that the Whites haven’t lifted since 1972, and demands respect at any stage, let alone with a trip to Wembley Stadium on the line this weekend.

However, in the grand scheme of things, staying in the Premier League has to be the priority for Leeds this season.

The upcoming games against the likes of Man United, Wolves, Burnley, Tottenham and West Ham on the final day are simply too crucial to be taking risks by throwing in Bornauw as a means for growing his sample size of performances.

So, the Belgian should expect to see his name on the teamsheet at the London Stadium on Sunday, and if it is, then it’s an opportunity he must grab with both hands.