Luis Binks would be a good permanent signing for Coventry City this summer, but only on a cheap deal as a third-choice centre-back.
The signing of Luis Binks from Bologna in the summer has not gone as expected, despite the defender showing his talents at times at Coventry City this season.
While the English defender came through the academy at Tottenham Hotspur, he moved abroad to Bologna in the summer of 2020, although he struggled for game time at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.
Because of this, he has spent time out on loan, including a move in the summer to Championship side Coventry, who are currently chasing a top six finish following their play-off final loss to Luton Town last season.
| Championship Table (As it stands February 8th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 30 | 41 | 72 |
| 2 | Southampton | 29 | 23 | 61 |
| 3 | Leeds United | 30 | 26 | 60 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 29 | 15 | 59 |
| 5 | West Brom | 29 | 14 | 48 |
| 6 | Hull City | 29 | 5 | 45 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 30 | 12 | 44 |
| 8 | Sunderland | 30 | 8 | 44 |
However, he has struggled for game time at the Coventry Building Society Stadium, which has cast doubt over whether the club should sign him on a permanent deal when his loan deal ends.
Binks would be a good signing but not at the price reported
FLW’s Coventry City fan pundit Neil Littlewood thinks that on-loan defender Binks would be a good signing as third choice defender at the club, but for not the price his parent club are reportedly asking for.
He said: “Binks is a bit of a strange one because you can see he’s got all the talent to be a competent Championship defender if not lower Premier League.
“He’s very steady on the ball, very tidy. He doesn’t shy away from getting the ball, and he’s not scared about getting stuck in. He’ll throw himself about a little bit. He hasn’t got the game time I would have expected, but Bobby Thomas and Liam Kitching have been phenomenal, so that’s why that hasn’t happened.
“With Binks, I’d take him as a third-choice centre-half, because losing Kyle McFadzean means we need another centre-half. At the moment we have Latibeaudiere who can play there, but it’s not his strongest position. We have others who can do that job, but I think you need that sort of cover, and Binks could be that man.
“One, if he is happy to do it. You know, he’s only 22, so he might want to be playing first-team football to build that experience, but as a squad option, he’s a very good option.
“The only issue is there were lots of rumours that the fee Bologna wanted for him in the summer was £12-15 million, that’s ludicrous. Take the one off the front, and maybe!
“I can’t see any club at our level playing that sort of money, and I don’t know enough about Italian football to know if he gets into their side next year.
“Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s brilliant, and he’s done a job for us. He’s the sort of ball-playing centre-back that Robins likes and that suits our system, but it’s not a sound investment at the money Bologna are quoting. I’d spend £2 million to £3 million, possible £4 million at a push if we’re getting him on a long-term deal.”
“Thats a lot of money on a third-choice centre-half, so the deal has to be right.”
Coventry shouldn’t spend big money on a third choice centre back
While he has shown glimpses of talent when he has played, those chances have been few and far between at Coventry.
With the rock-solid performances of Bobby Thomas and Liam Kitching at the back this season, the Sky Blues have conceded just 34 times in 30 matches, ranking them among the top sides in the division.
This has meant that Binks has struggled to get a look in, only starting nine games in the Championship and spending the bulk of his time on the bench for Coventry so far.
With the 22-year-old likely to cost a substantial fee from the Italian club, it may be in the Sky Blues’ best interest to avoid making a bid for the defender at the end of the season.
With Thomas (23) and Kitching (24) established as the club’s first-choice centre-back pairing, it will be difficult for him to break into the side. It may be worth him looking for another club in the summer with a clearer path to the first team, in order to aid his development further.
However, with Binks targeting a permanent move back to England in the near future, Bologna may be inclined to offer a cut-price deal for the defender, which could entice Coventry to make his transfer a long-term one.