Transfer latest: Southampton confirm signing of Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama for £12.5m

Kenyan midfielder joins Saints on a four-year deal for a fee in the region of £12m

Victor Wanyama (c) has secured a move to Premier League side Southampton (GETTY IMAGES)

Celtic’s Victor Wanyama has completed his move to Southampton for a fee believed to be £12.5m.

Southampton confirmed the deal on their official Twitter account before the news was then published on their club website, and he becomes the club’s second signing this summer after they secured Croation Dejan Lovren last month.

Having just put pen to paper on a four-year deal, Wanyama said: "It feels great and I am happy to be here."

"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.

"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."

Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino was present as the deal was completed, and he spoke of his admiration for the player, who becomes the first Kenyan to play in the Premier League.

He said: "I am very pleased to have secured the signing of Victor because we are a big admirer of his talents and he will fit in well to the team here at Southampton.

"I want to stress that the deal could have been done sooner, but this shows that we do business on our terms. The most important thing that ourselves, Celtic and the player are all happy with the way it has all gone.

"The fact that a lot of top European clubs were also keen to sign him shows what an attractive prospect Southampton Football Club is to a player who had his pick of the teams in England and abroad.

"I've watched him perform at the top level in the Champions League, and I believe that he will be a valuable addition to our Premier League squad for the season ahead."

Wanyama was an integral part of Neil Lennon’s Celtic side as he was part of the side that claim the 2011/12 and 2012/13 Scottish Premier League titles, as well as last year’s Scottish Cup.

The current Kenyan captain played 91 times for the Scottish champions, scoring on 13 occasions, and it is unlikely to be Southampton’s last signing of the summer with Pochettino keen to improve the squad ahead of the new season.