Southampton FC midfielder Victor Wanyama has been named the English Premier League African Player of the Month of September. 

In a statement released by the organisers of the award, New African Soccer and signed by the Awards Director Tunde Adelakun, Wanyama saw off a very strong challenge by West Ham's Senegalese new boy Diafra Sakho.

The Kenyan who joined the Saints last season from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic has endured a superb start to the season with his team. Southampton is occupying an enviable second place in the Premier League at the moment and Wanyama has been central to a great midfield display that has seen them as dangerous going forward as much as they have been solid at the back.

New African Soccer statement said that Wanyama, who also scored his first goal of the season hence becoming the first player from Kenya to play and now to score in the hugely competitive English Premier League will be given his award upon his return from international duty.

"It was a tough choice as we had to also take into account, the performance of the Senegalese Diafra Sakho, who has been in explosive form since he arrived in England. Sakho has scored in virtually every game he played for West Ham and is as deserving of the award as Wanyama", the statement added, "but what swayed it in Wanyama's favour was his overall team work and contribution, especially at what many thought would be a difficult time for his club, having lost many first team players in the summer".

New African Soccer thanked all watchers of Africans who took the time to vote and register their opinion on the awards.