Hearts confirm latest high-profile transfer exit as club issue short 30-word statement on wantaway star

Hearts have announced that winger Islam Chesnokov has left the club after just six months to complete a move back to former club FC Tobol for an undisclosed six-figure fee.

The Kazakhstan international - capped 26 times - joined the Tynecastle club after a protracted transfer pursuit in January on a deal until the summer of 2028.

However, he failed to settle in Edinburgh due to various off-field issues and has now forced an early exit from the club, with the Jambos issuing a short 30-word statement confirming his departure.

A social media post read: “Islam Chesnokov has left the club to join FC Tobol. He makes a permanent move back to Kazakhstan for an undisclosed fee. The club wishes Islam well for the future.”

Chesnokov eventually arrived in the capital on a pre-contract agreement from Tobol during the winter transfer window following the expiry of his Tobol contract at the end of October, but weeks prior to the move there was speculation the player was looking to get out of the deal, which had been agreed last summer.

Sporting director Graeme Jones and former boss Derek McInnes both intimated that was not the case and the wide man duly arrived for the second half of the campaign before immediately being put through a mini pre-season to work on his fitness.

Miller and McPake arrivals make Chesnokov expendable

Interest in Chesnokov from clubs in his homeland has persisted in recent months after failing to cement a regular starting spot in Gorgie and he becomes the latest casualty of the club’s summer squad overhaul.

Hearts sought to upgrade their quality in the wide areas and brought in Calvin Miller and Josh McPake from Falkirk and St Johnstone respectively. As a result, there was a willingness on the club’s part to allow Chesnokov to move on after scoring just once in 11 appearances.

Those two additions pushed the 26-year-old further down the pecking order and hasled Hearts to santcion his exit.