Leeds United summer transfer's West Ham warning as incredible individual Premier League run continues
Leeds United round off their 2025/26 Premier League season at West Ham on Sunday.
Leeds United defender Sebastiaan Bornauw believes the spirit among squad members has been key to their Premier League success.
Bornauw played a vital role as Leeds beat Brighton 1-0 on Sunday, rounding off an excellent top-flight campaign at Elland Road. The 27-year-old replaced Pascal Struijk in the starting line-up and got in front of everything, with defensive teammates Jaka Bijol and Joe Rodon also impressive.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 95th-minute winner turned one point into three and a quite incredible run from Bornauw continued. Leeds haven’t lost any of the five Premier League games their Belgian defender has started and he’s only featured in a top-flight defeat once, when coming off the bench for one minute at Newcastle in January.
"Every time I am on that pitch playing for the fans, it is amazing so I enjoy it,” Bornauw told LUTV following Sunday’s win. “It is amazing playing for me. I think we are really the same group, all about working for each other.
“I think that is our strength that we are a group of friends and that I think you see it in everything. I think if you come as a promoted side and achieve this goal with that amount of points, I think it is really good.”
Calvert-Lewin’s goal also handed Elland Road one final chance to celebrate this season. Bornauw had just been replaced by Sam Byram before the goal and was spotted embracing manager Daniel Farke as his shirtless teammate was mobbed by fans.
Sunday was Bornauw’s second home Premier League start of the season, the other coming in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in January. And the £5million summer arrival has been in awe of the atmosphere throughout.
"I had high expectations and, I have to say, they met the expectations,” he said. “I think under floodlights is incredible. I think it is one of the best atmospheres in England and probably in Europe. I love it."
Sebastiaan Bornauw’s West Ham warning
Bornauw will hope to continue his excellent run of results when starting at West Ham on Sunday, with Struijk still doubtful having been forced off against Tottenham Hotspur. The final-day meeting had long been billed as a relegation decider but it could prove a complete dead-rubber if Spurs win against Chelsea on Tuesday.
Defeat for Tottenham would see West Ham fighting for their top-flight lives on Sunday, needing victory to stand any chance of surviving. But Bornauw insists neither he nor anyone else in the squad will be rolling over.
"I think we are a group of winners and we are trying to do the best every time," he said of Sunday’s trip to the London Stadium. "It doesn’t matter if we are really safe or not.
“We will try to win every game, like today, and see game for game. And it is the last game, so we will try and end on a good note."