Walsall release former Carlisle United midfielder Joe Riley

The 27-year-old is one of four first-team players let go by the Saddlers having not been offered a new deal.

Riley has spent the last two seasons at the Poundland Bescot Stadium after turning down a new deal with the Blues in 2022.

He made 33 appearances for Walsall but will now be looking for a new club.

Riley was released along with Owen Evans, Rollin Menayese and Aramide Oteh after the Saddlers' 11th-placed finish in League Two under Mat Sadler.

The former Manchester United man spent two seasons at Brunton Park after joining under Chris Beech in the summer of 2020.

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Riley made 84 appearances and scored five goals under Beech, Keith Millen and Paul Simpson during his time at Brunton Park.

He then left the Blues for Walsall but his first campaign with the Saddlers was seriously affected by injury, with Riley unable to make his debut until February 2023.

He made 14 appearances that term and 19 last term ahead of his Bescot departure.

One of Riley's former United team-mates is also on the move.

Former Blues loanee Ethan Walker has been released by Championship club Blackburn Rovers.

Walker, 21, has been let go by the Ewood Park club after two years on Rovers' books.

Ethan Walker, the former United loanee, is now a free agent (Image: PA)

Walker had a spell on loan at United from Preston North End in 2020/21, making 17 appearances.

The attacker switched to Blackburn in 2022 and made loan moves to Morecambe and Oldham Athletic last season.

He has now been released along with Sam Barnes, Lenni Cirino, Ben Fyles, Jay Haddow, Jared Harlock and Charlie Weston, as well as second year scholar Ben Thirkill, after the end of their respective contracts.