Regular football has changed the picture for Sebastiaan Bornauw. The Leeds United centre-back has played 450 minutes across five Bundesliga matches for Hamburg SV since joining on loan in the summer, after his first season at Elland Road brought 771 minutes in 17 appearances, including five league starts. An injury kept him out of two Hamburg league games.
Leeds signed the 27-year-old from VfL Wolfsburg in July 2025, but he had to wait until December for his league debut. His loan gives him a clearer run at first-team football, and Hamburg also hold an option to buy him.
A move Bornauw pushed to make
Bornauw said in August that he didn’t hesitate over leaving Daniel Farke’s Leeds side. He later described the effort it took to secure the move: “I fought hard at Leeds United to come to Hamburg. I really wanted to play for HSV. There’s an abundance of tradition here, and I like that.”
The choice appears to be paying off on the pitch. Hamburg lost their first three league matches, then won their next three. Bornauw credits the squad’s quality while acknowledging it needed time to settle after several new arrivals.
“We all always believed in ourselves because we know we have quality. Besides, we had a lot of new players in the team at the beginning and first had to gel,” he said.
He pointed to Hamburg’s performance against Stuttgart as the standard to repeat, while warning that Paderborn’s movement, work rate and team spirit would make the next test demanding.
“We need to generate the same energy we showed against Stuttgart to be successful. Paderborn has excellent movement, runs tirelessly, and possesses a strong team spirit.”
Hamburg’s appeal goes beyond football
Bornauw is also enjoying life in the city. During an interview with Bild, he recalled visiting Hamburg regularly during his four years at Wolfsburg and called it “probably the best city in Europe to live in.” His caveat was the weather; he praised the friendly residents, architecture and greenery, and said he likes walking by the Alster or through the parks.
Hamburg has a recent example of a successful loan centre-back in Luka Vušković, who played for the club last season while on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham have since sold Vušković to Brighton & Hove Albion. Bornauw has time to make his own mark at HSV, with a permanent transfer possible if his performances warrant it.
A model professional in his corner
Bornauw says he stays in close contact with Daniel van Buyten, the former Bayern Munich defender who played for Hamburg from 2004 to 2006. The two are compatriots, and Bornauw describes Van Buyten as both a mentor and a friend.
“Back then, Daniel was a real machine on the pitch. Off the field, he’s a pleasant and good guy,” Bornauw said, adding that he admires how Van Buyten remained humble despite a successful career.
What stuck with him most was the former defender’s daily discipline. Bornauw called Van Buyten a “model professional,” pointing to the work he put into his fitness and the attitude he brought to every day. For a player seeking to turn a promising loan into a lasting move, that example—and the minutes he’s now getting—could matter as much as Hamburg’s winning run.
Ronaldo Vieira emotional about Leeds United exit
“I was scared and sad, because I felt part of the project. I left the stadium with my family, got in the car, and went for a drive alone to think.”
https://t.co/RKmVxtouik #lufc #mot
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) October 23, 2026