New signing Christian Mbulu says he is ready to play if selected. The 23-year-old defender has seen his patience and persistence pay off with a short-term contract in the wake of Olly Lancashire’s Achilles ankle.

Mbulu has signed until January and the former Millwall and Motherwell man certainly isn’t here to only offer cover to the current centre-half partnership of Eddie Nolan and Nicky Hunt.

Christian told the club’s official website: “It has taken a long time to happen but I am just happy to be here. I just want to get playing again. I have trained elsewhere and had some 1v1 training with a personal trainer, so I’m pretty fit.

“I had a tough pre-season here and I feel I am fairly up to speed. The team have been top of the league, so I know I am going to have my place in the team.

“If I am picked then I am ready. I am here now and it is just about kicking on. We have two cup games this week and hopefully I will be involved. It doesn’t matter what competition you play in, you want to win. Winning becomes a habit and this team have had it this season.

“When you can get that winning habit into any dressing room then it can carry you a long way.

Christian added: “The lads here are brilliant. There are a few young ones like myself, well I am not that young at 23 here at Crewe and some really good senior pros, so it is a really good dressing room.”