David Artell: Crewe Alexandra manager happy to commit to contract at Gresty Road

David Artell was the club's academy operations manager when he was promoted to replace his old boss Steve Davis as manager in January

Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell is happy to commit his future to the League Two club by signing a proper longer-term contract at Gresty Road.

Artell has worked without a contract since starting in January and admits his chief missions were to keep Crewe up, then plan for the 2017-18 season.

The offer of a 12-month rolling contract has now been made by the club.

"I'm pleased and I'm grateful, but I didn't see it as a big deal," Artell told BBC Radio Stoke.

"It was more important to concentrate on getting the right players in."

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Artell has so far made three new signings - strikers Jordan Bowery and Chris Porter, along with defender Michael Raynes, but he is in pursuit of a League Two midfielder and is hopeful of persuading his likely skipper next season, George Ray, to sign a new deal.

"We should know in the next week to 10 days," he said. "But I'm not losing any sleep over it. I fully expect him to still be a Crewe player next season."

Crewe manager David Artell was the Alex captain when they last won promotion in 2012

We have players ready to be ripened - Artell

Artell is also grateful to have been given 100% backing by chairman John Bowler and his board.

"Whenever I've gone to them with any request, they've told me to go ahead and get on with it," he said. "Hopefully that will continue."

He is also confident that, if next season goes as he expects, then his phone will be ringing with offers from managers higher up the EFL after a relative dearth in big-money exits since the departures of Nick Powell, Ashley Westwood and Luke Murphy.

"We've got some good players," said Artell. "We have quite a few ready to be ripened.

"To leave a club in League Two, you need to be in the top seven. If we're successful, don't be surprised if my phone doesn't ring a bit more with enquiries about our players. I envisage that to happen as I envisage us being successful."