Sheffield Wednesday have recently released a number of young players whose contracts were set to expire at the end of June. 

The Owls are currently sat 15th in the Championship table, which will be frustrating for the club's supporters, who had previously seen their side challenging for a top-six finish earlier in the season.

One player who has been told he has to find a new club is Connor Kirby, with the midfielder making four senior appearances in his time with the club.

Speaking in an interview with Yorkshire Live, Kirby revealed that he was 'gutted' at his spell with the club coming to an end, but admitted that he expected his exit to be confirmed.

"I was very gutted when I found out I was leaving. I was at the club for nine years. They did it by video call, which is obviously not great, but that was what they had to do because of the virus.

"I was gutted but I kind of expected it. It is obviously opinions from the first-team staff as well as the academy staff. It is what it is."

Kirby expressed his gratitude towards former Owls boss Jos Luhukay, who handed the youngster his senior debut whilst in charge of the club.

The 21-year-old also revealed that he enjoyed his time with the club, but wished he had featured more for the first-team.

"I am very grateful to Jos for giving me a chance.

"It was great that he showed that trust in me to give me game time. I was over the moon when I managed to get a few games under him. It gave me a lot of confidence.

"I loved my time at the club. It has been fantastic and I loved every minute of it. I made a few first-team appearances but I wish I had played a bit more."

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The Verdict: 

I'm not surprised to see him heading for the exit door at Hillsborough.

Kirby hasn't featured enough for the first-team in recent years, which is understandable as Sheffield Wednesday have struggled in the Championship.

However, after off-the-field events, being told over a video call about your future at the club is far from ideal. But he seems to have the right attitude to succeed in senior football, and I think he could be a useful addition to some teams lower in the Football League.

He's a player with a bright future ahead of him if he can hit the ground running at his new club this summer.