Ghana’s Andre Ayew, who plays for Swansea City FC, has been named African Player of the Month of August in the English Premier League.

He beat off competition from the other shortlisted players – Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Algerian Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City.

In a statement released by Tunde Adelakun, CEO of Award organisers New African Soccer, Ayew received “overwhelming support in an unprecedented voting number count for the monthly award.

“We could see why Ayew won the award and kudos to him and to the participants in the vote. He just came into the Premier league and hit the ground running – scoring spectacularly against champions Chelsea in his debut and playing well in the month,” he added.

“Riyad Mahrez pushed him close, and well worthy of it too, as Mahrez, a bargain buy by Leicester for only around £500,000 has had a sterling 2015, and was the league’s leading scorer in August. But I think people looked at the quality of opposition that Ayew faced and used it in determining the winner this month.”

Ayew was also named the overall Player of the Month of August in the League and his award will be presented to him in the coming days.