Lens set for Sunderland medical
Dynamo Kyiv winger Jeremain Lens is one step closer to a move to Premier League side Sunderland as he is to undergo a medical today, according to Sky Sports and the Sunderland Echo.
The Dutch international is set to become the Black Cats’ biggest transfer of the summer so far with personal terms agreed on his proposed £8million pound transfer and he is expected to join the squad on their US tour if the move is completed.
Lens, who had previously worked with Advocaat at PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar said: “I have never made a secret of the fact that I like the Premier League.”
Even the prospect of UEFA Champions League football could not persuade the Dutch forward from staying with the club, stating that now would be ‘a great opportunity to make the switch.’
Lens is one of the players that manager Dick Advocaat has been targeting for quite some time, with the other target been Nicolas Lombaerts – but the defender’s proposed move has collapsed.
It emerged on this morning that the Belgian centre-back had failed his medical on Wearside yesterday, a fee was agreed with Zenit St Petersburg and personal terms were also agreed despite reports they could not agree on wages.
Lens added: “We (him and Advocaat) have previously worked well together at AZ and PSV. We know each other – that’s ideal.”
Despite the disappointment of the deal falling through, Sunderland have already identified other targets to replace Lombaerts, one of those names reportedly not included is Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk despite having been a long-term target for the club.
Lens is set to become Sunderland’s third signing of the summer after Liverpool’s Sebastian Coates and Celtic’s Adam Matthews already making their respective moves to the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats pre-season tour didn’t get off to the best starts early Wednesday morning when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sacramento Republic in their opening match.
They will now go on to play CF Pachuca, and then Toronto FC.