Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has praised Alan Hutton for his 'excellent professionalism' following the defender's decision to sign a new deal with the club.

The Scotland international penned a three-year contract extension on Tuesday after working his way back into the side at Villa Park.

Hutton was loaned out to three different clubs when Lambert took charge of Villa in 2012, but the manager admitted that the 29-year-old has been impressive this season.

"You know exactly what you will get from Alan, he's an excellent professional and he's made an excellent start to the season for us, helping to drive the defence and adding his experience to the mix," Lambert told the club's official website.

"The way he's played, he's made a big contribution to the great start we've made, as have all of the players, because it's very much a squad game and you need that level of focus and commitment from everyone in the group."

Villa are currently in second place in the Premier League table after earning three wins and a draw from their opening four matches.