Coventry City man drops major transfer hint with Sky Blues plea

Luis Binks discusses his desire to end his contract in Italy and return to England, ideally to become a permanent Sky Blues player, in this Coventry City transfer news from CoventryLive.

According to Luis Binks, he intends to return permanently to England in the summer and is working extremely hard to make that happen at Coventry City. The center-half hasn’t communicated with his parent club since joining the Sky Blues on a season-long loan from Bologna, who are presently leading Serie A and sitting well in fifth position.

The former Tottenham Hotspur Academy graduate is eager to launch his career in his native nation after seeing senior English football for the first time in his brief career. It is unclear if that will happen at Coventry, in part because he has only made 11 starts across all competitions and one substitute appearance thus far.

The switch from a back five to a four, which leaves just two center backs in the starting lineup, has further limited his options. But the 22-year-old is keen to make a name for himself, and when Liam Kitching was sent off and had to serve a three-match suspension over the holiday season, he was given another chance to shine. Now that his suspension has expired, Binks will be looking to continue playing for City when they take on league leaders Leicester at the CBS Arena on Saturday.

Thinking back on his recent run of three straight starts, he stated, “It had been a while since my last appearance so it’s been on my mind to get back in the team and play games.”

“I told the manager I wanted to play games, and he told me that I would have to wait, exactly like he had told me at the beginning of the season. When the time came, I certainly played against Swansea, and I felt like I did okay. Of course, it’s different after not playing for so long.

“It was always me trying to find my feet, getting back into the rhythm, trying not to do anything wrong, just steadying myself and playing myself back in. I think it was just over two months.” There is still a lot more to come, but I felt like it might have gone both better and worse.

What should have been a flawless Christmas run was marred by a 2-2 tie after City gave up a late equalizer.

“We felt like we lost against Swansea because we gave up three goals away from home, but it felt good to play against Middlesbrough a few days later,” the defender, who had previously played as one of three center halves, said after making his comeback to the team.

“I hadn’t participated in a four until I returned.” Although it has been annoying not to play, I can see that the manager finds it tough to make changes when the team is winning all the time. But as I mentioned, I’d like to play and luckily when I have played we’ve picked up points.”

He added: “It’s different playing in a four but growing up at Tottenham, that’s all I knew and it’s only been the last few years where I have played in a back five. I played throughout my academy days in a four but coming back into the team it takes time to get used to it again. I’m not going to be at my best after one or two games. You need a run of games, but I’m enjoying it.”

When asked how he thought Binks had performed in his three games, including his first FA Cup match where he helped City defeat League One Oxford United 6-2 in the third round, and whether that gave him a welcome selection headache ahead of this weekend’s match against the Foxes, manager Mark Robins responded, “He’s done well but I don’t see it as a headache.” The players choose themselves, and I’ll base my choice on what I observe of them during this week’s training.

Binks replied, “Yes,” when asked if he intends to have given the City leader a significant decision to make. In the first few games, I believe I’ve established my rhythm and fitness, and now it’s  time to show what I am really capable of.

There’s nothing worse than not playing for a while and then entering the game and giving someone a reason to pull you out at the first chance. The manager has told me that if I play well, I stay in, so it’s up to me. However, you do need a run of games to find your fitness and find your feet to show what you’re really capable of doing. Basically, it’s just about trying to get a run of games.”

Due to insufficient playing time, Brighton, the parent club of fellow loan player Yasin Ayari, called him back and sent him to Blackburn Rovers last week. When asked if he had considered doing something similar before Kitching was banned, the defender firmly stated, “No, I never considered going back.” I’ve expressed my desire to stay in England, whether it is here or someplace else, to the manager and other individuals. Though I would prefer to return home and play football here, I hope to be here.

“Visiting all the grounds this year has shown me that football is played properly over here in England,” he continued. It was wonderful and I had a terrific time in Italy, however I do

want to come back to England and I haven’t thought about going back.”

As for Bologna’s take on the situation and asked if the seven times Italian champions have been in touch and expressed concern that he’s not been in the team, he revealed: “No, to be fair I haven’t really spoken to them. They are doing well in their league and right now I feel like a Coventry player.

“I am not really thinking about Bologna or speaking to them. I feel like I am part of Coventry and just focused on trying to get promotion this year and getting in the team. I don’t know what will happen going forward but I am really happy here at the minute.”

The Gillingham-born defender is contracted for another two and a half years at Bologna, but said: “I have got a few years left there but come the summer I will try to work something out.”

It’s unusual for a parent club not to keep tabs on a loan player on a week to week basis, so does he think that speaks volumes in terms of where he stands in their eyes?

“Yeah, but I kind of knew that was going to happen because I was on loan in Italy last year,” he said. “I spoke to them probably once or twice throughout the season last year. I have got friends there that are on loan and they only spoke to them once or twice as well, so I don’t know if that’s how they do it. I don’t know if they are watching from afar but I haven’t spoken to them and you could say that it shows something.”

“But the manager has changed, and the players and directors are different, so the club doesn’t seem like the club that I knew because there have been a lot of changes,” he continued. “I played there during my season there, but since then, a lot has changed.” I guess I’ll just have to wait until summer.

Even though it has been difficult for him to gain playing time and establish himself in such a competitive position, Binks is the ideal fit for Coventry’s development program considering his age.

Yes, of course it’s challenging when you’re young, he replied. However, I also believe that it’s challenging for loan players since they want to fit in and become a valuable member of the team rather than an outsider. Therefore, I believe it’s critical that this summer, instead of going on loan once more, I sign with a team that will invest in me and have my best interests at heart. And maybe, this summer, that will occur.

“Hopefully this summer we’ll see. I feel like I’ve improved, and whenever I talk to the manager and coaches, they seem happy, and we’re all on the same page.”

Does he thus envision himself as a long-term Coventry signing?

Yes, as I mentioned, I’m having fun here, and maybe it will continue. If not, however, then someplace else in England. I’ll have to observe. We’ll see. Perhaps the club doesn’t want me, or perhaps things won’t work out.