Sunderland are in talks to sign Zenit centre back Nicolas Lombaerts and Dutch forward Jeremie Lens of Dynamo Kiev, according to Sky sources. Lombaerts, 30, would cost the Black Cats around £5million, while Dutch international Lens would set them back around £8.5million. ........... Ignore the title Lombaerts plays for Zenit
http://www1.skysports.com/football/...its-nicolas-lombaerts-and-kievs-jeremain-lens Sunderland are in talks with Zenit Saint Petersburg and Dynamo Kiev over the respective signings of Nicolas Lombaerts and Jeremain Lens, according to Sky sources. It is understood that Belgium international defender Lombaerts, who was signed by Dick Advocaat for Zenit in 2007, would cost a fee in the region of £5m. Dutch forward Lens, meanwhile, has 29 caps for the Netherlands and could fetch up to £8.5m Sky sources understand Sunderland would have no problem paying those fees for the players but they are just two of a number of signings manager Advocaat is trying to make. Lombaerts, 30, began his career at Club Brugge before a three-year spell with Gent, and he has 35 caps for Belgium. Lens, 27, is an AZ Alkmaar youth graduate who moved to PSV Eindhoven in 2010 and scored 34 goals in 96 Eredivisie appearances. He joined Kiev in 2013. On Wednesday, Sunderland confirmed the signing of Liverpool defender Sebastien Coates on a four-year deal after his successful season on loan last term. Sunderland also confirmed on Thursday that captain Lee Cattermole has signed a new five-year deal.
I was really hoping that he'd attract some quality the day he signed, though still concerned he'd only done so for a year. Looks like he might be attracting some quality interest in the club and his 1 year deal may not be an issue after all. I'm starting to get a warm glow down below
On the face of it 2 internationals from decent European nations, I have to say I don't know a lot about either of them other than what a google search just told me, though I have to say spending that amount on 2 players with no experience in England is a massive risk.
Miles better than what we have now by all accounts. That's all that matters. Nowt could come of these links yet but it's good see a lot of improvement in players linked. to prior season, just hope there's no truth in the pap players like Downing and Townsend.
I hope you're right mate and they are better than what we've got, I'm just a bit cautious as they are similar in profile to the likes of Alvarez and Giaccarini who on paper were international wingers from decent national sides but neither have drastically improved us at all, I suppose what I'm saying is there is no guarantee when signing players from the continent that there reputation will translate into being a good signing for us.
I think the difference this time around is the manager involved. A guy who knows and understands the PL and can better judge just what and who he needs.
Giacc is the best player in our squad, we've just been unlucky with injury. Alvarez is better than most who can play his position at the club if not better, we have a distinct lack of players who can play a central attacking position, only giacc and AJ(AJ better wide cutting in). Rickey was played out of position where he was too slow to play and he had a bad injury, don't lose faith in overseas signing because of a couple of in injuiys, and an Idiot ex manager who can't suss his player best positions. It's where the quality for value is at.
While I have every faith in Dick as a manager, it's a bit of a stretch to claim he's got a good understanding of the league after 9 games managing in this country, though I do agree he is a better judge of players and has a better understanding of how to use them best.
I'm not basing it on his 9 games GM, just on his 29 years of managerial experience. When did we last have a manager with so much experience across such a broad range of the national and international game?
Not sure about Giacc being the best in the squad, he has been unlucky with injuries and things but as things stand surely he's got to be seen as a flop, whether that is his fault, idiot managers or pure bad luck he's played for us for 2 years and hasn't had a big enough impact at all. Ricky showed 1 or 2 flashes of ability but other than that was woeful, he looked uninterested and totally lost in English football, maybe he's better than we saw but he has to be seen as a very poor signing. I haven't got anything against signing players from abroad but I would see this as a risk purely because of the reported transfer fee involved, they'll only be seen as good value if they perform when they get here.
Sorry mate must have misunderstood your last post, thought you were trying to make the point that he has a good understanding of the premier league.
Im a massive Giacherinni fan too. If we get an injury free season from him, we will automatically improve as a club IMO.
Someone has forgotten his contributions in the 13/14 season, he was as instrumental is Conner and oozed class. Sad you've considered Giacc a flop. 13/14 he played 1351(that's the equivalent to 15 full games in hist first premiership season) he scored four goals and four assists and the only player who managed to complement Connor and get the best out of him. He came into his own towards the end of the season getting two goals and three assists in his last 7 games. He was a joy to watch, you could see he was a class above. Good enough for Juve and Italy and certainly more than good enough for us. I won't write him off, just because he missed nearly all of his second season after a very good first. Players get injuries sometimes Providing his injuries have cleared up I think he'll be like a very very good new signing for us.
The premier league is evolving rapidly getting more continental as it does evolve, A lot of the 'old dogs' who knew the league have been left behind and ovreseas managers can offer much more to the style of football these days.
Lens scored one more goal in the Eredivisie than Altidore. To me, either both are good international players, one of which was utterly wasted by Poyet, or both of them are sh*t. We can't have it both ways. I know what I think but it's very unpopular so I'll just go with the majority and say I don't want Lens within a million miles of here.
