Striker Cody McDonald is keen to return to Gillingham next season after enjoying a successful campaign on loan at Priestfield Stadium.

The 24-year-old scored 26 goals for the Gills, who just missed out on the League Two play-offs on goal difference. He admits City’s new Premier League status means he may be unlikely to figure in their first team plans.

His season-long loan deal from Norwich, which came as a result of Simeon Jackson’s transfer to the Canaries last summer, ended on Saturday.

Although doubts remain over Gillingham’s ability to finance a deal to keep McDonald, the player remains keen to stay.

He said: “We’ll see what happens next season but hopefully I can do it for Gillingham. It’s out of my hands but maybe the chairman (Paul Scally) and Norwich can sit down and come to some sort of agreement. If not, I’ve had a great time here, I’ve appreciated everything everyone has done for me and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself. This club deserves to be better than it is at the minute, it’s a massive club.”

The former Dartford striker has a year left on his contract at Carrow Road and was expected to sit down with manager Paul Lambert this week to discuss his future. With the Canaries winning promotion to the Premier League, McDonald does not believe there will be a role for him to play next season.

He said: “I think going back to Norwich is obviously going to be difficult after they got promotion to the Premier League. Great credit to them, but it will be difficult to play as I didn’t really play in League One or the Championship. I’m not ruling out a move to Gillingham, but it’s out of my hands.”

• Former Canaries striker Ryan Jarvis has been released by League One side Leyton Orient.

The 24-year-old Fakenham-born striker joined the Os in June, 2008, after being released by City, and went on to make 98 appearances, scoring 14 goals – although he made just three starts in the season just ended, during which he spent a short time on loan at Northampton Town.

Jarvis wrote his name in Norwich’s history books in April, 2003, when he became the club’s youngest ever first team player, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw at Walsall aged 16 years and 282 days. He became the club’s youngest scorer the following season when he netted in a 2-1 home defeat by Watford. His brother Rossi, also a former City player, is currently with League Two Barnet.

Orient have also released 37-year-old striker Scott McGleish, who has had four spells at Brisbane Road and finished the season as their top scorer.

Full-back Elliot Omozusi, who had a loan spell at Norwich in the 2008-09 season, played enough games to trigger a clause in his contracts entitling him to a further year.