Born on this day is former Sunderland attacker Jeremain Lens. Lens was signed by Dick Advocaat in 2015 for around £8m, after previously working with him at PSV and AZ Alkmaar.
Advocaat wanted six quality players to sign for Sunderland after just keeping us in the Premier League the season before. Lens, who was 27 when he arrived on Wearside, told the fans: "My qualities are that I'm fast, I can score goals and I can create chances... I followed the team after the arrival of Advocaat."
Lens was signed on the back of making a name for himself in Europe, where the forward scored 34 goals in 96 appearances for PSV, helping them reach the quarter- finals of the Europa League. After PSV, the Dutchman moved to Ukraine to play for Dynamo Kyiv. His time in Ukraine would be successful and he would help the team go unbeaten throughout the domestic season, winning the Ukrainian League and Cup, netting 10 goals in 49 appearances along the way.
Lens' first goal for the Lads came in a 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa on the 29th August 2015. Lens would score his second for the club just over a month later, impressively lobbing West Ham keeper Adrian in a league game at the SoL. But in typical Jeremain Lens fashion, he let himself down later on as he received two daft yellow cards and being sent off in the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw (we were winning when he was sent off).
He never managed to nail down a permanent place in the starting eleven after Advocaat left in October. The mercurial winger was overlooked by incoming boss Sam Allardyce, due to his poor attitude and lack of any sort of work ethic, and then Allardyce’s replacement David Moyes didn't seem to rate him either. After Advocaat left Sunderland, Lens spent the best part of two years out on loan in Turkey: first with Fenerbache and then Besiktas.
While on loan in Turkey, he was quoted as saying he hoped SAFC were relegated as it would hasten his permanent transfer away from the club - which David Moyes responded by calling the winger 'disgracefully disrespectful'.
On the 7th June 2018 Lens’ departure from Sunderland was confirmed after the player signed a four-year deal with Besiktas. He left Sunderland only managing a handful of goals in 24 appearances and failing to deliver on early promise.
