KSN followed Gillingham youngster Luis Binks on his Canadian adventure into Major League Soccer with Montreal Impact, and we are delighted to continue Luis’ amazing story with his next chapter and his own “Italian Job” …

Following his summer transfer to Montreal’s “parent club” Bologna, Luis has recently been playing in one of the world’s top Leagues against some of the best players in the world in Italy’s Serie A.

Luis told us, “Serie A is, and was always, a league I wanted to try and experience. You’ve seen some of the world’s best defenders play in this league and I wanted to come to Italy to learn the art of defending as there isn’t a better place to learn my trade than here.”

“I’ve settled in well,” he went on. “It helps that most of the players and staff can speak English. I’m trying to use a bit of Italian when I’m out and about but it’s very difficult, but I hope as time goes on, I’ll be able to speak it.”

“The two cities are very different, Montreal was very modern and like a major business city, but Bologna is very, very, very old and very much Italian with a lot of churches and cultural stuff.”

“I do enjoy the European way of living and I’m trying to see and experience as much of Italy as I can while I’m here!”

Luis made the move shortly after the Italians won the Euros on that fateful night at Wembley in the summer. “There was a bit of banter after the final,” he smiled. “some of the players always saying to me “it’s coming home” but that was it really. I think by Italy winning the Euros has made the league a lot stronger.”

He made his full debut in Bologna’s recent draw with Udinese before facing Milan in just his third game (after making his full debut against Empoli) as his side were reduced to nine men against Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Oliver Giroud et al.

Reflecting on an amazing week, Luis said, “we did a bit of shape in the week, and I thought I may have had a chance of starting, but it was only really on the day that I knew that it was certain.”

“I had my mum, dad, sister, girlfriend, uncle, best mate and his girlfriend all there so it was great for me that a lot of my family and friends were there to see my first start in Serie A and a day that I will remember forever.”

Bologna boss Sinisa Mihajlovic has already made an impression on his new defender. “The manager is great and someone who I can definitely learn a lot from,” Luis went on.

“The career he had was amazing having played for the likes of Roma, Lazio, Sampdoria, Inter and his country and having managed some of the best teams in Italy also. The coaches as well have also had great careers themselves and can definitely help me to understand how to improve and become a better player.” 

“Like I said, most of the players speak English, so it’s been easier for me. There’s a Scottish left back here who I’m mates with as of the language and me having played for Scotland. But also, a fair few Scandinavians and their English is better than mine I think so we all get along.”

“We went to the San Siro to play against Inter earlier on in the season and I’ve been to the San Siro as a fan and it’s my favourite ground so to have been there as a player was brilliant.”

“Also, the Maradona stadium is one that sticks out for me for obvious reasons. Saying that all the grounds I’ve been to this season have been good and I really like our home stadium as it has such a good feel to it and with the fans there it can become a proper fortress.”

It’s hard to remember sometimes that Luis is still only twenty years old. “I know a lot of people say it, but when you’re in it you don’t really think about what’s going on,” he admitted, adding, “I haven’t done anything in the game yet and obviously have so many ambitions and goals so I’ve got to keep working hard to get to where I want to get to and then hopefully one day I can look back and be content with what I done, but for now I’ve just got to work hard and continue to try and push on as a player…”