Crewe Alexandra

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Crewe Alexandra's player development manager Kenny Lunt says Lewis Billington should be challenging himself to prove he is the "best right-back in the league" now he is staying at the club.

The 22-year-old has extended his long association with the Alex by signing a new three-year contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2028-29 season.

Billington was one of only two players to start every game in League Two last term, and only twice failed to play the full 90 minutes.

Lunt said the defender's new deal was excellent news.

"He plays every minute. He's done really well and he's another one who's come on miles, leaps and bounds, and if he keeps developing, hopefully he'll play a lot more for this football club and hopefully one day we can sell him on for quite a lot of money," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"He could add a goal or two from set-pieces, more assists, stopping more crosses, but he's doing ever so well."

Lunt added that if Billington can do that, he will have "more options" over where his future career takes him.

"The way he's going, the more clubs keep looking. He can't stand still, he knows that. He knows you need to keep on improving and he's got a lot of improving still to do.

"He's obviously being consistent, but can he be consistently the best right-back in our league? - so he gets that move he's after one day."

Lunt also gave an update on the club's search for more signings before the start of the season.

With three new players already in - striker Jordan Gibson, centre-back Luke Offord and midfielder Joe White - Lunt said they are looking at strengthening more areas.

"I think anyone can see with the number of centre-forwards last year, maybe we could have another striker option, another centre-half, maybe, and another left-back for some competition for Reece [Hutchinson]," he said.

"Everything's close all the time, but everything's still a few miles away. We'd like to have more numbers in the squad and if we can get another few more bodies through the door, I'm sure it will be in a good place."

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Crewe Alexandra defender Lewis Billington has signed a new three-year contract with the League Two club.

Billington, 22, has been with the Railwaymen since he was six years old and has made more than 100 appearances for the first team.

He had been considering the club's offer of a new deal since the end of last season but will now stay on at the Mornflake Stadium into a sixth senior season.

Billington joins strikers Adrien Thibaut, Josh March and Fin Roberts and midfielders Luca Moore and Conor Thomas in signing new deals with Crewe this summer.

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Midfielder Luca Moore has signed a new two-year contract with Crewe Alexandra.

Moore was part of the youth set-up at Birmingham City before joining The Railwaymen where he has made 11 first-team appearances.

The 20-year-old made his senior debut in the EFL Trophy in October 2024 before his Football League bow in February last year.

He joins strikers Adrien Thibaut and Josh March and midfielder Conor Thomas in penning new deals with Crewe this summer.

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Crewe Alexandra have signed midfielder Joe White from Premier League Newcastle United on a two-year contract.

The 23-year-old had a previous loan spell with the Alex in the first half of the 2023-24 season, when he scored three goals in 25 games.

Since then, White has had further temporary stints in the English Football League with MK Dons, Leyton Orient and Bradford City.

He has been with the Magpies his whole career and made four Premier League appearances as a substitute in April 2024, having come through through the club's Under-21 side.

White is the third new player to join boss Lee Bell's squad for the new season after returning captain Luke Offord and striker Jordan Gibson.