Montreal center back Luis Binks: I didn't realize how good of a league MLS is

Nineteen-year-old center back Luis Binks quickly became an important part of the Montreal Impact’s backline after joining the Canadian side from Tottenham Hotspur prior to the season. With some stellar play, he was transferred to Serie A’s Bologna in August and loaned back to the Impact for the remainder of the season under the agreement that he would move to the Italian side in January.

But in a recent interview with the Montreal Gazette, the young player admitted he wouldn’t mind another season in MLS and less than a month later, the club announced on Wednesday that Binks would stay with Montreal on loan through the 2021 season.

"Yeah a lot surprised me [about MLS]," Binks said during a press conference on Wednesday following the announcement that he'll be returning to Montreal in 2021. "I think being from Europe the MLS is perceived probably not as well as it should be. But when I came over here and got put into it I realized quickly how good the standard is, how up-and-coming this league is and I genuinely believe that it can be a big league within the world,” he said.

Binks has featured in 21 games this season (20 from the start) for the Impact and played in two of their three Concacaf Champions League games. In his first season, Binks has appreciated the challenges that playing in MLS presents and recognizes the opportunity to become a better player.

“You see loads of players coming from South America who are quick, tricky and then you’ve got strikers who come from all over the world that are very strong and physical. So, it’s a very diverse league. And it’s been good for me because one week I’ll be playing a tall striker, the next week I’ll be playing a little nippy striker so it’s a great league for me to come and learn. And like I said, I didn’t realize how good of a league it was."