Jeremain Lens played for Sunderland between 2015 and 2018.
Born in the Netherlands, Lens cut his teeth with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar following a breakthrough loan campaign at NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie, where he bagged 13 goals and five assists.
Following his rise with AZ, Lens was snapped up by PSV Eindhoven in 2010, he’d go on to bag 43 goals and 48 assists in three years with the giants, becoming one of Europe’s most sought after young talents.
The Dutchman opted to move to Ukraine where he joined Dynamo Kyiv, winning the league title and two cups before the Premier League and Sunderland came calling in 2015, making the switch to the Stadium of Light for £9million.
Lens struggled with the Black Cats in his debut campaign; due to a lack of form and injuries he made just 21 appearances in his first season but still registered seven goal involvements. The following season he featured as a substitute in two of the three opening games of the campaign before he joined Fenerbahce on loan.
So what’s Lens up to now?
Lens rediscovered his form out on loan, registering 22 goal involvements in 36 games for Fenerbahce whilst Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League, putting the final nail in the coffin of the Dutchman’s ill-fated spell in Wearside.
The 34 capped Netherlands international returned to Turkey the following season with Besiktas on an original season-long loan which was made permanent the following summer for £6million.
After spending four years at Besiktas and a year on loan at Faith Karagumruk, Lens signed for French third division side FC Versailles in 2022. The Dutchman has bagged six goals and two assists in 12 games for the Championnat National side so far, with the side 2nd in the table and fighting for promotion to Ligue 2.
It never worked out for Lens in England, with the magic he produced at PSV eventually unable to prevent Sunderland from relegation from the Premier League.
