SUNDERLAND are closing in on a £14m double after Jeremain Lens confirmed he is excited at the prospect of being reunited with former boss Dick Advocaat on Wearside.

The Black Cats have edged closer to doing a £9m deal for the Holland forward and hopes are high that he will follow Zenit St Petersburg’s £5m-rated defender Nicolas Lombaerts to the North-East.

An agreement is close to being reached for Belgium defender Lombaerts and he is expected to complete a move to the Stadium of Light before Lens follows after advanced talks with both Zenit and Dinamo Kiev, respectively, went well.

It could be that Lombaerts even travels to join up with the rest of the Sunderland squad in North America, where they will play three games starting tonight against Sacramento Republic in the early hours of the morning (UK time). They will also play Club Pachuca and Toronto FC.

And it is not out of the question that Lens could join him over there, although there is known to be more to do on that deal despite the player’s admission that he is set on a switch to Sunderland.

Dinamo Kiev have been determined to get a high price for the 27-year-old, even though he has indicated a desire to play for Advocaat in the Premier League.

Lens said: “I’m not having a medical examination, but I am in talks with Sunderland. I have never made a secret of the fact that I like the Premier League.

“Despite Dinamo playing in the Champions League, now it seems a great opportunity to make the switch.”

Advocaat, who committed to a further 12 months in charge at Sunderland after a change heart during the summer, has had Lens to call on during his days managing both AZ Alkmaar and PSV Eindhoven.

And Lens said: “We have previously worked well together at AZ and PSV. We know each other – that’s ideal. It’s not all there yet, but it should be clear that I am really keen on a transfer.”

Sources close to Sunderland claim the discussions with Dinamo are ongoing, but clearly the player’s comments increase the chances of a deal beings struck sooner rather than later.

Personal terms is not thought to present a problem, so it is merely the agreement with the Ukraine club which needs reaching after he decided the time is right to move on from Kiev after winning the league title once and cup twice.

When Sunderland get both deals over the line then it will take the number of first team summer signings to four, following on from Sebastian Coates’ arrival from Liverpool on a permanent basis and full-back Adam Matthews from Celtic.

Sunderland owner Ellis Short is still prepared to spend more in order to ensure that Advocaat has a squad capable of avoiding a repeat of the relegation struggles of previous years. The target is to try to climb up towards the top ten in the Premier League.

Advocaat has instructed sporting director Lee Congerton to focus on a winger as well as a midfielder, having basically admitted defeat in the pursuit of West Ham’s Stewart Downing.

The Teessider is pushing for a return to hometown club Middlesbrough, so Sunderland are looking alternatives and Everton’s Aiden McGeady, who has attracted interest from Wearside in the past, is among the leading targets.