Sunderland have completed the signing of Dutch international winger Jeremain Lens from Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev for a fee of £8million.

The 27-year-old has 29 senior appearances for the Netherlands with a respectable return of eight goals for his nation, and has previously played in both the Champions League and Europa League.

Lens follows former Liverpool man Sebastian Coates and Wales international Adam Matthews to the Stadium of Light, with returning manager Dick Advocaat looking to avoid another season spent scrapping at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

The forward has played under Advocaat before

Speaking with the North East club's official website, Advocaat proclaimed himself "delighted" to have acquired Lens' signature, having worked with the player in the Dutch Eredivisie with both PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar.

Advocaat praised his new man's goalscoring record, and if he can replicate his PSV form, he will be a welcome addition to a squad which has struggled to put the ball in the net in recent seasons.

He bagged 34 league goals in 96 league outings in three years with the Dutch giants, lifting the KNVB Cup in 2011/12 along the way.

And, while his goals per game tally dropped slightly following his £6.3million [figure via transfermarkt.co.uk] move to Dynamo in 2013, he won two cup competitions and the nation's top division title in his two seasons with the club.

Lens adds drive and flair to a one-dimensional squad

Sunderland's Sporting Director Lee Congerton, meanwhile, is hoping that Lens can add a previously missing quality to the Black Cats' attack in the coming season.

Congerton described the Amsterdam-born man, who can play up front or on the wing, as "quick and direct" going forwards, and in truth Sunderland have been criticised in the past for being one of the more one-dimensional and one-paced sides in the Premier League.

Lens will now link up with his new teammates as soon as possible to commence pre-season training, with Advocaat currently taking his side on a tour of North America as they prepare themselves for the season ahead.

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About the author
Sam France
Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor at VAVEL UK, part of the VAVEL team 2014-2018.