HSV loans Sebastiaan Bornauw from Leeds United

Costa praises Bornauw as a target profile

Bornauw himself appeared relieved after the agreement and spoke of an appealing step in a strong league. The defender had most recently been under contract at English club Leeds United but was no longer first choice there and was therefore looking for a new sporting home.

Bornauw was trained at 1. FC Köln before moving through stations in England to Leeds. In the Bundesliga, the Belgian is therefore familiar with the conditions and style of play, which should help HSV with his integration.

For HSV, the loan is another building block in an already active transfer window. After promotion and the return to the Fußball-Bundesliga, the club had reshaped several positions to make the squad weatherproof for the new season.

HSV looking ahead to the new season

During pre-season so far, coach Merlin Polzin had repeatedly stressed that the defense urgently needed reinforcement after Vuskovic's departure. With his size and physicality, Bornauw brings exactly those attributes that are in demand in intense Bundesliga matches.

From the club's perspective, the new signing is to be integrated into the team setup as quickly as possible. Costa announced that Bornauw would join team training in the coming days and gain match practice promptly.

According to the club, Bornauw is immediately eligible to play and could therefore be in the squad as early as the next matchday. However, Costa left open exactly how the center-back will be incorporated into HSV's defensive system.

First appearance already this weekend?

HSV plays away this weekend, meaning the Belgian's sporting debut could possibly come in the current English week. With the signing, the club primarily wants to regain the necessary robustness in the back line.

Bornauw has been assigned shirt number 4 in Hamburg, the club announced. With that, the defensive squad is for now complete following Vuskovic's departure, although further responses cannot be ruled out depending on how the season goes.