MKENYA VICTOR WANYAMA ASAJILIWA SOUTHAMPTON KWA EURO 12 M

Victor Wanyama's long-mooted move to Southampton has been completed, with the midfielder leaving Celtic for a Scottish record fee reported to be £12million.

After overcoming an apparent impasse in discussions, the highly-rated 22-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at St Mary's.

The Kenyan later tweeted: 'I have a day of mixed emotion.happy to play in EPL,honoured to be the 1st Kenyan to play in EPL...But VERY SAD TO leave PARADISE.'

New boy: Mauricio Pochettino welcomes Victor Wanyama to the Saints

Wanyama's move therefore dwarfs the £9.5million Spartak Moscow paid Celtic for Aiden McGeady three years ago and sees it become the largest fee ever paid in Scottish football, breaking Rangers' long-standing record £12million outlay for Tore Andre Flo.

Until recently it had looked like a move to the south coast had collapsed over personal terms, leading to suggestions of issues with his representatives.

However, manager Mauricio Pochettino last week had not given up on the deal and Wanyama now becomes Saints' second signing of the summer, following the £8.5million purchase of Lyon's Dejan Lovren.

Moving south: Wanyama will join the south coast side despite interest from Cardiff

'It feels great and I am happy to be here,' Wanyama told the club's official website, www.saintsfc.co.uk.

'Finally it has happened and we've come to the end [of negotiations], so I am delighted.

'There were other options, but Southampton is a club with ambitions so I chose to came here.
'Southampton is a good club and it has good players, so I just want to train hard and work hard to be a part of the starting XI. We'll see where that will take me.

Keeping fit: Wanyama had been training in Germany with the Scottish Premier League champions

'I'm very grateful to be here and I'm looking forward to playing in the Premier League.

'I've seen that the stadium is great and the dressing room is looking good, and I know some of the players. I hope they will help me and I think I will get along with the others, so it will be good.

'I am happy to be a part of Southampton's squad. It means a lot because because it has been my dream to play in the Premier League and now I am here.'