Fortunes change at the kick of a ball in the game of football. Beskitas midfielder Tolgay Arslan was included in a player plus cash deal in the summer window. Besiktas were chasing the signature of Netherlands winger Jeremain Lens from Sunderland. They wanted to involve Tolgay as an additional weight in the Dutchman’s deal but Sunderland who were relegated at the end of last season did not agree.
Lens ended up at Besiktas on a loan deal and Tolgay stayed at Besiktas. Sunderland’s fortune has gone from bad to worse this season and the English club who were relegated last season, now find themselves at the rock bottom of the Championships with just 5 wins in their 34 matches.
The Black Cats are under immense pressure from suffering yet another demotion. Sunderland’s luck finally ran out after a nine-year spell at England’s premier competition came to an end last season when Sunderland was finally relegated last year. The club probably survived more relegation wars in the last ten years than the number of goals they scored last season.
However, it was doom spelt all along for the Black Cats last season and after finishing rock bottom, they moved down to the Championship. Things have not gone well for the Black Cats well this season either. Sunderland have just won five of their 34 league matches this season and with only 27 points on the board, they stand in the relegation zone. The club is 24th in the Sky Bet Championship and looks set to drop further.
They have further bad news to deal with on the Jermain Lens part with reports confirming that the Dutch winger has completed a permanent switch to join the Turkish giants.
A statement on the club’s official website, www.bjy.com.tr, said: “As stated in our report dated 07.08.2017, the final purchase option for Jeremain Marciano Lens, loaned from Sunderland for the 2017-18 season, was used on 28.02.2018.”
Lens joined the Black Cats on a four-year deal in a £8million move from Dynamo Kiev in July 2015 but after an impressive outing in the first few matches, the 30-year-old fell down the pecking order and has now parted ways with the club.
Although losing Lens would not be the biggest blow to Sunderland, it would certainly add more pressure on a club who are already struggling in terms of another failed signing. As for Lens, this might give him the chance to showcase his true potential and unlock a late entry to the national team.
