Flashscore caught up with Binks to ask him how his career has been shaped by working with such legends at an early age and what led him to devote his immediate future to Brondby.
How did the Brondby transfer come about, and how much did you know about the club before you joined the club?
"I heard about the transfer when I was away on holiday, probably about six weeks before we finalised it. I had other offers from clubs in England, but when Brondby made their offer, I could not turn it down.
"I knew Brondby was a big club because obviously I had heard about (Peter) Schmeichel, the Laudrup brothers, and I had seen lots of people wearing Brondby-shirts when I went on a trip to Copenhagen in March, but I did not know actually how big the club is before I arrived here."
You were brought in to replace Jacob Rasmussen, who was the former captain and one of the key players in the side. Do you feel that puts extra pressure on you to deliver the goods?
"Yeah, it probably puts extra pressure on me. He was obviously the captain, and Brondby paid quite good money for me (€3 million) to come here, but I don’t feel the pressure so much.
"It takes time to settle in; you are moving to another country, your family is moving with you, and you have to get used to the culture here, but I hit the ground running, so to speak, so I am happy with the way things started and happy with the way it's going."
Coach Frederik Birk was sacked shortly after your arrival in August. Usually, it can be tough for players if the coach who agreed to sign you is sacked soon after you arrive. How has it been for you after Birk left?
"It's never nice when someone loses their job, but it's part of football. I worked a little bit with Steve Cooper (the new coach) when I was in the England youth teams, but I was just a kid back then, and neither of us is the same person anymore.
"But he has come in and given us a bit more identity in terms of how we should play. I think you can see small improvements, but you can only judge him when he has been here for a longer time."
I heard that Steve Cooper changed the way you dress before games...
"Yeah, that is correct. Now we have to arrive in the club tracksuit on the matchday, whereas before you were allowed to arrive in your private clothes. And I think that is better.
"Every club I have been in before, you would arrive in the club tracksuit, and that is how it should be because you are representing the club, so I thought it was a positive change."
You spent two years at Coventry, where you had Frank Lampard as a coach. I guess he was an idol for you when you were younger. How was that experience, and what led you to move on?
"Frank Lampard alongside Steven Gerrard were the icons when I was growing up. Gerrard was my favourite, but of course, it was great to work with someone like Lampard. I have also worked with (Cesc) Fabregas, (Sinisa) Mihajlovic, and (Thierry) Henry in the past, so it wasn’t any different for me.
"You have to remember, they are not the player you grew up watching; they are now coaches, so it’s a different person that you are looking at. But at Coventry I was in and out of the team, so I thought it was time to go somewhere where I could cement my place. I also prefer a European lifestyle and experiencing different cultures."
Read more: How Lampard's Coventry are hitting new heights in the Championship
You had Sinisa Mihajlovic as a coach at Bologna, where you spent some time. Was it a good experience, and how much did he add to your development?
"I loved my time in Italy. I was only one year in Bologna, but Mihajlovic was brilliant. He gave me my debut. I was 19 and had played 15 matches, so I wanted to leave. However, he wanted me to sign a new contract before I left, as he wanted me to remain part of the team.
"So, he gave me so much belief in myself, but then, when I was on loan, he got sick and sadly passed away. So, that ended my Bologna career, and I am sure if he was still coaching, I would be at Bologna right now."
Shortly after you signed for Montreal Impact from Tottenham in February 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and you were isolated in a hotel. But then (coach) Thierry Henry called you, tell us about that experience.
"I only literally had two league games for Montreal before COVID hit. I was living in a hotel because I had only been there for a month. The hotel shut down and sent me to another one, one hour from the city, and I wasn’t very happy there because there was nothing there.
"So, Thierry Henry phoned me up and asked if I wanted to join him in a hotel close to the city where he was the only guest. It was a surreal situation; he was away from his family, I was away from mine, so we really only had each other.
"And we would sit in the reception and talk for hours. To sit down and pick his brains was a bit weird because he was also the coach, and certainly something I will always remember."
You arrived in Copenhagen in August. How do you feel that you have settled in on and off the pitch, and what do you think about the level of the Danish league?
"I have been here for three months now with my girlfriend and our dog, and we are all in love with Copenhagen. All the boys in the side have been very welcoming and friendly, so that has made it easy for me. Danish people are, in general, very open and friendly, so it's easy to settle into the culture.
"The level of the Danish league has been a positive surprise. Most people know about FC Copenhagen and Brondby, but perhaps some of the other teams don't get spoken about as much outside of Denmark.
"There is a gap between the top teams and the bottom, but that's how it is in any league. It seems that people from outside of Denmark don't actually know how high the level is here."
You were born in England but have a Scottish grandfather, so you still have the opportunity to play for either England or Scotland at the senior national team level. Have you chosen who you will play for if you are given the chance?
"I haven't chosen, but if Scotland comes calling tomorrow, of course, I would love to play for them. It is a goal for me to be called up for the Scotland team, and I think there is a pathway there for me because some of their defenders are ageing or playing in leagues that aren't as good as the Danish league.
"So I think there is a potential opportunity there for me, and if Scotland picks me tomorrow, I would be more than ready."
Now you have signed a long-term contract (five years) for Brondby. What are your ambitions for the future? Is there a dream of something you want to accomplish or some clubs you want to play for?
"I have signed a long contract here, and anything can change during that time. At Coventry, I signed for four years, but I was only there for one year but I want to win trophies with Brondby and establish myself as one of the best defenders in the league.
"But obviously, looking further, I would love to play in a 'top five' league. I had a brief experience in Bologna but would really love to have a go at it again. But first of all, it's all about playing well for Brondby, and if you do that, you become a legend here because the club expects you to win trophies, and the fans will remember you forever if you accomplish that."