Ben Godfrey has explained why his spells at Sheffield United and Ipswich Town were both failures, as he looks to start again at Brondby.
BOLD have an interview with the 28-year-old today. He’s looking to push away from a disastrous 2025, and last few years in general.
The defender moved to Brondby in the winter, linking up with Steve Cooper at the Danish club. He joined on loan from Atalanta until the end of the season.
It’s been a challenging few years for the defender, following his move from Everton to Atalanta in 2024. He struggled to establish himself at the Serie A club, eventually spending the second half of last season on loan at Ipswich Town.
Loan to Brondby
Godfrey made just three appearances for Kieran McKenna’s side as they were relegated from the Premier League. A loan to the Championship, with Sheffield United, followed in the first half of this season.
But his time at Brammall Lane was cut short in December after he made just four appearances for the Blades in all competitions. Now he’s explained that matters off the pitch played a role.
“I was a bit off course when it came to playing time,” he said.
“It was a period when some personal things were perhaps a bit different for me, and that happens sometimes in life.
“And then I think that the players in my position were guaranteed playing time for the rest of the season. We had an open and honest conversation, and all due respect to Sheffield United for that. They made it clear that I would no longer be part of their plans for the rest of the season.
“It was obviously a difficult period in my career. But also, on a wider level. It’s not always just about football. You never know what problems other people are going through.
“There will always be ups and downs. Maybe the last few years, or 2025, have been a period where I had to reflect, learn or where circumstances did not work optimally for me.”
Contract until 2028 at Atalanta
There’s certainly no denying it’s been a rough few years for Godfrey, even going back to his time at Everton.
He appeared to be on a solid footing with the Toffees following his €27.5m move from Norwich City in 2020 and impressed while playing under Carlo Ancelotti in particular. That was until COVID struck and affected him significantly.
He’s been open about his struggles after that, even stating that it felt like he was playing ‘in someone else’s body’ at times. That’s something he appears to still be battling with to this day.
Anyone who watched him at Ipswich Town or Sheffield United will attest to that. Now the hope is he can find his feet at Brondby and perhaps sort his long-term future in the summer.
