Josh Ginnelly admitted it was “one of the toughest decisions” he has ever had to make after ending his three-year stint at Hearts.

The 26-year-old Englishman joined the Tynecastle club initially on loan from Preston in 2020 and then made the move permanent a year later.

After finishing as Hearts’ second-top scorer last season, however, he has decided, following several weeks of deliberation since the campaign ended, that he will not be renewing his contract.

Hearts said in a statement on Thursday morning: “We can confirm that Josh Ginnelly will not be returning to the club.

“His contract expired last month and despite the club making the best possible offers to retain his services, he has decided his future lies elsewhere. We wish him all the best with his next move.”

Ginnelly made 89 appearances for Hearts and scored 22 goals, 13 of which came in his final season. The forward, who has other options on the table, posted a farewell message on Instagram after his departure was confirmed.

“This has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make but after taking time to reflect I’ve decided it’s time for a different challenge,” he said.

“I’m so proud to have played for this amazing club and I feel so proud to look back and see how far we’ve come over the last three years. I’ve made friends for life in the teammates that I’ve met along the way and it’s been an absolute pleasure to have played alongside you all.

“Thank you to all of the staff who coached me through injuries and helped me through one of the toughest times of my career.

“I also wanted to say a special thank you to (long-serving club employee) Clare Cowan. Hearts wouldn’t be Hearts if it wasn’t for you. I wanted to say publicly that I hope you know how appreciated you are.

“Finally, thanks to all of the fans that have stuck by me throughout. You’ve made my time at Hearts and I’ll forever be grateful for the uplifts and constant support. Some fan base. ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. GINO.”