Semenyo completed a £65m move to City from Bournemouth in the January transfer window, with Guardiola beating Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea to his signature.
He said interest first surfaced in early December and, after extensive discussions, he decided the following month that City was where he wanted to go.
Semenyo credited Bournemouth with kickstarting his Premier League career, praising the coaches and backroom staff for their support and saying they made his time there seamless.
Last season he scored 21 goals for club and country, including the winner in the FA Cup final against Chelsea — a moment he described as a dream come true — and he also lifted the Carabao Cup.
Speaking at Ahmad Tea’s Preparation is Everything event in Hong Kong, he explained that he wanted his next move to be a major step and felt Manchester City was the right choice. He said Pep told him before the move that he would help make him a better player.
He added that constant improvement is his aim, noting Pep significantly aided his development in the first five months, and said he was disappointed to see him leave.