Hearts today announce that Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskis will leave the club with immediate effect.

The two players, on loan from FBK Kaunas, have been on the fringes of things this season, Cesnauskis starting only three and Mikoliunas only seven out of a possible 36 games as they struggled to secure a place in one of the best midfields in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

A club spokesperson said: "Both players have already returned to Lithuania. It is quite evident to us that the players' will to play for Hearts dropped due to the influence of agents, who put their own interests ahead of Hearts and the squad.

"In these circumstances we expect players to be much stronger as professional footballers.

"We cannot, under any circumstances, allow the personal desires of people outside the club such as, for example, agents to disrupt the excellent progress that our team is making.

"Their actions - usually trying to lure the players with ungrounded promises and increasing expectations in order to benefit financially for themselves - are heavily damaging to the team and the club, while putting players' careers at risk.

"As a result, it is most unlikely that either Mikoliunas or Cesnauskis will appear again for Heart of Midlothian Football Club and we shall pursue such a policy for the future in order to protect the club and make it a success financially and on the field."

Hearts was unable to benefit from Cesnauskis at club level due to poor form and injury, although the player himself surprised the club's medical team earlier this season when he accepted a call-up to the Lithuanian national team squad.

Mikoliunas appeared in less than 20 per cent of Hearts games this season through a mixture of injury and suspension due to indiscipline, incurring a series of red and yellow cards that disrupted his potential contribution.

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On Hearts.TV today, Craig Gordon talks exclusively about life in the English Premiership, plus don't miss our extensive coverage from the Hearts Youth Development Awards dinner.