David Wheater: Oldham Athletic agree release with exiled defender

David Wheater was a regular in his first season and captained the club before being exiled this season

Defender David Wheater has left Oldham Athletic after coming to a mutual agreement with the League Two club.

The 34-year-old joined the Latics in August 2019 on a free transfer, and he scored four goals in 35 games in his first campaign at Boundary Park.

However, Wheater had been told in September he was no longer part of the club's plans following a dispute over pay, and has not featured this term.

His contract was due to expire at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Dylan Bahamboula, Raphael Diarra and Kyle Jameson have all had their contracts extended by the club until the end of next season.

Bahamboula, 25, has scored five times in 34 appearances since joining in October, while Diarra has turned out 14 times and Jameson has registered 15 appearances.

Redcar-born former Middlesbrough and Bolton defender Wheater has 456 senior career games to his name, scoring 34 goals.

His departure comes after a period of uncertainty at the Latics, in which his representatives claimed he was being put under "undue pressure" to break his contract.

In November 2020, the club put out a lengthy statement outlining their position, stating the players' recent health and injury record.

He had been training with the youth team, as his exile from the first-team continued.