Manchester City have won the battle to sign the highly-regarded 16-year-old Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, paying a fee of around £420,000 to Shamrock Rovers, a record for a non-professional in Ireland.

Bazunu was the subject of a series of bids from Tottenham Hotspur and also visited Chelsea in the build-up to making his decision. Spurs’ relationship with Rovers, forged when they played each other in the Europa League in 2011, had given the London club confidence that they could get the player but eventually City’s offer was the most persuasive. Bazunu was in Manchester this week with his family to sign terms with the club and meet academy director Jason Wilcox.

He has had a remarkable start to his senior professional career this season making his debut for Rovers in the League of Ireland Premier Division and the Europa League qualifiers – and keeping four consecutive clean sheets at the start of the season.

A joining date has not yet been set for the teenager who wants to complete his leaving’ certificate in the Irish education system, in conjunction with playing at City. He will stay at the Irish club in the meantime and come to Manchester either in January or in time for the start of next season when he will go into the elite development squad.