It is now official. Manchester City have confirmed on their website the signing of winger Antoine Semenyo from AFC Bournemouth, ending months of speculation surrounding one of the Premier League’s most sought-after wide players.

The Ghana international has put pen to paper on a long-term deal running for five and a half years, underlining City’s commitment to the 25-year-old as part of their future attacking core.

According to British media reports, the transfer fee stands at around €72 million. The move is made even more significant by the fact that Semenyo turned down interest from four major Premier League rivals — Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United — in order to join the reigning champions.

A decisive factor in the winger’s choice was the opportunity to work under Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard’s reputation for developing attacking talent played a key role in convincing Semenyo that the Etihad Stadium was the ideal next step in his career.