During 2020, KSN tracked the progress of Gillingham’s Luis Binks as the young defender starred in the Major League Soccer for the Montreal Impact, but now he has The Italian Job.
We’re delighted to continue Luis’s story in 2021 when he returns to Canada for the new MLS season in April, but as the year begins, we find him not in Canada, but in Italy…
Luis explained, “I’m officially now a Bologna player now after a move late last year. That said, I’m going back on loan to Montreal for the 2021 season so that’ll be good for me and my development and hopefully now I know the league a bit more I’ll be able to go one step further this year with the team and individually.”
Sadly, on arrival in Bologna, Luis tested positive for COVID19 but has thankfully recovered as he told us. “I’m good now, started training for a few days now and starting to get back to full fitness. The COVID delayed me but obviously with the way of the world there was nothing I could do so it set me back but I’m just glad to have started now.”
“I’ve started with the fitness coach first as obviously I had a bit of time off after the MLS season finished and over Christmas but I’m glad to finally be here and get to know the surroundings and people at the club.”
“It’s always a nervous feeling walking into a new changing room especially when you don’t speak the language, but I’ve quickly started speaking to a few of the boys who speak English, so they’ve been good with me explaining the club and the city.”
His new club currently sit thirteenth in Serie A and in the last week have won at Parma before being held at home by Benevento. With games against Sassuolo, Lazio and Cagliari in the next few weeks Luis told us, “My goal is to play for Bologna and play in Serie A, but I know I’ll have to work hard, get my head down and learn from the people around me before that happens, but I’m in the right place with the right people so hopefully that’ll be sooner rather than later.”
“Serie A is a massive league with massive teams so obviously I can’t wait to hopefully have a taste of it and the Dall’Ara and play against the likes of AC and Inter at the San Siro, Juventus, Napoli, Lazio, Roma.”
Luis has now been in Italy for a few weeks after spending the Holiday Season back in Gillingham. “It’s never nice leaving the family when going away and leaving the country as you never know when you’ll see them next, especially with the current circumstances.”
“But I’m going to do something I want to do and what I love so it’s a bittersweet feeling and I’m lucky to be going away for that reason.”