Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Rio Shipston announces exit ahead of summer rebuild
Sheffield Wednesday academy graduate Rio Shipston has announced he is leaving Hillsborough.
Midfielder Rio Shipston has announced his exit from Sheffield Wednesday, bringing a 14-year affiliation with the club to an end.
Shipston, who made eight appearances for the Owls across all competitions this season, confirmed his departure in an Instagram post on Sunday afternoon.
The midfielder joined the Owls as a seven-year-old and signed his first professional contract at Hillsborough back in December 2022. He signed a new deal as recently as July last year.
A familiar fixture for the Owls’ Under-21s in recent seasons, Shipston spent the second half of last season on loan at Cork City, racking up 21 appearances for the Irish outfit.
He benefitted from last summer’s calamitous events at Hillsborough, forcing his way into the first-team conversation amid the departures of so many senior figures. He was named on the substitutes bench for each of Wednesday’s first three Championship matches this term.
Although he had to wait until Boxing Day to make his Championship debut, appearing as a second half substitute in a 2-2 draw with Hull City at Hillsborough, he did start all three of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup matches this term.
Posting on Instagram, Shipston said: “After 14 years my time at @swfcofficial is over. I would like to thank all the staff and players over the years and I wish you all the best.”
Shipston, who also started Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Premier League side Brentford in the third round of the FA Cup at Hillsborough in January, last featured when he appeared as a late substitute in the Owls’ 4-0 defeat to Swansea City at the Swansea.com Stadium in February.
Given his Wednesday debut by Darren Moore in a 2-0 win over Leicester City’s U21s in the EFL Trophy back in October 2022, the midfielder, who will turn 22 in November, made 13 appearances in total for the Owls.