Swansea City complete signing of Josh Ginnelly

Swansea City has completed the signing of forward Josh Ginnelly, subject to international clearance.

The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year deal through to 2026 in SA1, and becomes the first signing of the summer window for the Swans and new head coach Michael Duff.

Ginnelly - who will wear the number 11 shirt - joins following a successful three-year spell with Scottish Premier club Hearts, where he scored 22 goals in 89 appearances, helping them win the Scottish Championship in 2021.

He provides an option across the front line for Duff and his coaching staff, as the Swans prepare for the start of the 2023-24 campaign.

After spending seven years on the books of Aston Villa as a youngster, Ginnelly joined Shrewsbury in 2013, and made his senior debut against Luton Town in the early stages of the 2014-15 season when aged 17.

He was named the club’s Youth Player of the Year that campaign, before making the move to Championship Burnley.

Ginnelly would spend three years at Turf Moor, but would not make a first-team appearance during a period where he had loan spells with Altrincham, Walsall, Lincoln City and Tranmere Rovers, helping the latter two clubs secure promotion from the National League to the EFL.

A full-time move to Walsall followed in 2018, and he had a two-year stint with Preston from 2019 to 2021 following an initial loan move to Deepdale.

From the Lilywhites he went on loan to Bristol Rovers, with his opportunities limited by the outbreak of Covid-19 and the curtailment of the season, before spending the first part of the 2020-21 campaign on loan with Hearts.

Ginnelly was on the scoresheet in the agonising Scottish Cup final loss to Celtic in December 2020, with the Tynecastle outfit going on to secure promotion as Scottish Championship winners.

A permanent move to the Jam Tarts followed, and he quickly became a regular, scoring 13 goals and contributing six assists in 41 appearances last term.