Hibs boss Shaun Maloney speaks on ideal position for Harry Clarke

The versatile defender signed an 18-month loan deal at Easter Road, joining on a temporary basis from Arsenal in early January, but less than a week later he had suffered a hamstring injury and spent three months on the sidelines.

Clarke was handed a start last weekend and scored on the stroke of half-time as he netted on his first appearance in green and white.

Despite starting in a slightly unfamiliar position of left-wingback, Maloney believes the 21-year-old can help provide what his team has been missing in recent months.

"Harry has big attributes. He's really good at attacking open spaces, really fast, a very good athlete,” he told the Evening News.

"He's very good in that final third so he definitely brings us something we were missing. That's why we went for him, but he has big attributes defensively as well, as we saw against Dundee United.

"I'm just really happy to have him back after his injury. He was out a long time so we don't want to put too much pressure on him but at the same time, I'm really looking forward to him replicating what he produced for Ross County, and increasing on that in the last period of the season, the most important.

"He's such an infectious character for the squad so it’s a really big boost for the staff but also for the players.”

Hibs’ trials and tribulations in the final third have been well documented, and while Clarke is mostly viewed as a defender, Maloney is keen that the number two contributes more in the attacking areas, having already opened his account in green and white.

"Harry can play numerous positions. He gives us an option to play a back four, which we've done recently. He can play on both sides and he can operate as a wingback, full-back, and as one of the wide