Ashley Westwood will accept the responsibility of stepping up from League One Crewe to the Premier League "and take it in my stride" having completed his move from Crewe tonight, agreeing a four-year deal which will keep him at the club until the 2015-16 season.

The 22-year-old midfield player was a central figure when Crewe secured promotion last season, was appointed club captain this season and he is eager to prove his worth by stepping up to the big stage that is the Barclays Premier League - a move that manager Paul Lambert believes he is handsomely equipped to handle.

"I see myself as a Michael Carrick-type of player, someone who stays out of the limelight and keeps it simple, retaining the ball and laying it off to team-mates and from the conversations I've had with the new manager I think that will fit in perfectly here," Westwood said.

"He said to me that he's looking for younger lads to work with him, step up and lift this club to the next level and I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

"This is a fantastic football club, a massive club and I can't wait to get started really.

"It's a bit surreal right now but I'll get out training with the lads tomorrow morning and take it in my stride."

The midfielder - a product of the successful academy at Crewe, making his debut against Millwall aged 18 - is Lambert's seventh signing of the summer.

He was part of the side that clinched promotion to League One after defeating Cheltenham in the play-off final at Wembley last season, making over 100 appearances for the Railwaymen and the Villa boss has no doubt that Westwood has the qualities to make an impact.

"Being captain of his football club at 21 years of age, I think that says a big thing about Ashley's quality, the responsibility he has taken on his shoulders and his temperament - he's a good player," said Lambert.

"He's also a terrific prospect for this football club - a real, real talent.

"He's had a really good grounding at Crewe and he will fit in with what we're looking to do here. He's a good player and he'll do fine."

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