Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell says he is delighted that young midfielder Oli Finney has become the latest player to commit his future to the club.

Finney, 21, has signed a new one year deal with another year option after really establishing himself at first team level this season. Finney made 19 appearances last season and won the club’s Breakthrough Player of the Year award at the annual awards.

Artell told the club’s official website: “Ollie has had a good season and credit to him. He is probably our best goalscoring midfielder and he has shown that in the Under-23s last season. He know has to transfer that into the first team. He has to go and do it.

“If he can start 15, 20 games minimum and play 35 games plus and score six to eight goals then we will be a real asset to us. He has got to believe he is capable of doing it.

“We didn’t score enough goals from midfield last season so there is an opportunity there for him. He has become more disciplined going the other way in his defending and he is still only 21. He perhaps does not have the experience of some of the others but he has to go and improve on the season he has just had.

The boss added: “Credit to him, he has had two developing seasons and now he needs another.”