Exit confirmed: Sunderland agree sale of Jeremain Lens to Besiktas for an undisclosed fee

The exit of Dutch winger Jeremain Lens from Sunderland to Turkish champions Besiktas has been confirmed.

Lens unveiling on the Super Lig club's social media platform has him taking part in a video with their other new recruit Alvaro Negredo, saying that he is 'coming to Besiktas'.

The 29-year-old exits the Stadium of Light for an undisclosed fee just over two years since he originally signed for the Black Cats from Dynamo Kyiv for £11m with add-ons on top.

Lens only made 20 appearances in total for Sunderland. After initially featuring under Dick Advocaat when he first arrived on Wearside, the Dutchman fell out of favour once the veteran coach had departed the Stadium of Light.

Dropped by Sam Allardyce after he refused to take part in a post-match warm down, Lens only featured in 12 games under Big Sam for Sunderland.

Amidst continued suggestions that coaching staff were unhappy with his attitude, Lens would then be allowed to leave on loan to link back up with Advocaat at Fenerbahce last summer.

And from there the winger proved to be a big hit in Turkey with five goals and seventeen assists as Fenerbahce finished in third place in the Super Lig. Recalled to the Netherlands national side, Lens has also made a couple of appearances for Holland since rediscovering his form in Istanbul.

Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Since the end of that loan agreement last month, Lens returned to pre-season training with Sunderland and continued his renaissance with four goals in the Black Cats summer friendlies.

Technically Jeremain Lens will be categorised as another big-money flop for a club with a dismal recent history of losing money hand over fist on transfer business.

But the mercurial Dutch winger’s short stint back on Wearside this summer proved he possessed all the ability in the world, it was simply that, as has been so often the case, the mismanaged muddle that is Sunderland AFC were unable to make the most of him.

Oh, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that his attitude during that first season here was pretty rank.

Lens returned to Sunderland this summer set on ensuring he stayed fit and his application and performances in a red-and-white shirt in pre-season kept him in the public eye.

Turkey was the only place he was ever likely to return to. Previous suggestions that he might fancy signing for a Dutch club were always improbably due to the salary levels in the Eredivisie.

Ultimately, as is so often the case, Sunderland have lost a packet on him.