Alan Gow signing easy choice for Hibs boss John Hughes

HIBS boss John Hughes today admitted that bringing Alan Gow to Easter Road was the easiest piece of business he's ever had to do – and insisted he knows exactly how to get the best out of the former Falkirk player.

The club completed the deal to bring the attacking midfielder to Easter Road on loan just two hours before the transfer window closed, reuniting the 27-year-old with Hughes, who signed him for the Bairns in 2005, before he joined Rangers two years later.

Hughes had been on the lookout for a defender but the signing of Gow is a real statement of intent from the Easter Road manager, who now has a number of options in attack with Derek Riordan, Anthony Stokes, Colin Nish and Abdessalam Benjelloun already available up front and supported by the likes of Merouane Zemmama.

Hughes said: "Alan is a player I admire tremendously, and I know what he's all about from our time together at Falkirk. He adds more quality to the squad, and will hopefully raise the bar again in terms of what we are trying to achieve. I am just delighted to get him, it was right under the radar if I am honest. The deal was easy to do because he was keen to come.

"He is always a player that you would want at your club, he is a good age and a real talent.

"You have got to know what buttons to press to make sure that you get the best out of him and I think that I know how to do that. You have got to earn your chance and he is going to have to do the same at Hibs.

"He is a bit like Zemmama, he is a great runner with the ball, a great dribbler, and he has got a great left foot, too. He can score goals and slot people in, he can play anywhere across the front and drop back into midfield if you need him in there.

"He is a top professional. I have always said that we have got goals in the team and competition for places is a great thing, it keeps everyone on their toes and training properly because the guys know that they have to train well if they want to stay in the team. It gives you the options that I want at the club.

"I can't wait to start working with him again and I think it is good for the fans as well to have that bit of excitement on deadline day.

"He will join us for training on Thursday, he only came up to Scotland last night, so he'll be in at the club in a couple of days."

Gow joined Rangers on a free transfer in 2007 but struggled to break through at Ibrox, subsequently spending time on loan at both Blackpool and Norwich before being sold to Plymouth in August, and made ten appearances for the Pilgrims this season.

And the player is over the moon to have been given a chance to revive his career north of the Border with Hibs, saying: "I'm delighted to be joining Hibernian to the end of the season and looking forward to working with John Hughes again.

"I know how the gaffer likes to play the game, and how well the team are performing at the moment, so I can't wait to meet the boys and start training."

Meanwhile youngster Callum Booth completed the only player move out of Easter Road last night, agreeing a loan move to Arbroath until the end of the season.