By Gareth Vincent
South Wales Evening Post

Swansea City have won the race for the signature of Mark Gower - but lost out on Paul Anderson to Nottingham Forest.

Gower has signed a performance-related deal running for a minimum of two seasons after snubbing a new contract at Southend and opting for Swansea ahead of Blackpool and Nottingham Forest.

But Forest have beaten Swansea in the hard-fought scrap to take fellow wideman Anderson on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

Roberto Martinez was keen to stress the positives today after landing Gower, a versatile attacking midfielder who has been one of Southend's most consistent performers in recent years.

''It's a coup for us,'' the Swansea manager declared.

''To get someone like Mark, with the football he has played and the strengths he has, on a free transfer in the inflated British market is quite something.

''He has quality and he has the right character to be a Swansea City player - he ticks all the boxes.''

Former Tottenham youngster Gower, 29, has scored 41 goals in just under 250 Southend appearances since a £25,000 move from Barnet five years ago. Happy on either flank or in the centre of midfield, he has been likened to ex-Swan Andy Robinson.

''He is not replacement, but he has played a similar role for Southend as Robbo used to for us so you could say he can fill that role,'' Martinez added.

''He is a proven player with very impressive stats in the last five years. He has played an average of 42 or 43 games a season and you don't get too many players like that.

''At 29 he has his best years ahead of him and he is ready for a new challenge. As you can imagine there was interest from a number of Championship and League One clubs, so we're really excited that Mark has chosen us.

''He and his family are committed to coming to Wales and he has the hunger we want at this club.''

Swansea's joy at landing Gower has been tempered by news that Anderson has joined Forest just days after telling Martinez he wanted a return to the Liberty Stadium.

A huge success during a year-long loan last term, Anderson attracted a host of interest this summer but seemed set to sign on for another campaign with Swansea.

But having been influenced apparently by his father - who lives near Nottingham - and his agent, the 19-year-old flyer is on its way to the City Ground.

''Swansea City did everything they could and Liverpool took the correct approach,'' Martinez said.

''In the end they told Paul it was up to him to make a decision.

''In a sense it's disappointing, but this is where you find out how much a player wants to be at the football club and we don't want people who are not whole-hearted.''

Anderson's move to Forest would appear to leave Swansea with another vacancy to fill, on the flank, in a squad already depleted by the departure of Robinson and the probable exit of Ferrie Bodde.

But Martinez said: ''Mark Gower was our priority. We'll see how the squad starts to work and then see where we are.''