Wigan Athletic boss opens up on 'difficult' loss of Jack Whatmough and Jamie McGrath

The duo took the opportunity to hand in their notices last month following the club's well-documented failure to pay the wages on time under the previous ownership..

Maloney had already lost the services of Will Keane, who used the same clause to force a move to Preston North End earlier this month.

Latics are now in safe hands, after being taken over by Wigan-born billionaire Mike Danson, with a real sense of excitement and optimism ahead of the new campaign.

Which makes the loss of two more key players - for destinations as yet unknown - even harder to swallow.

"It's been quite a long process, really, quite a unique situation, and one I don't think any of us had any real experience of," acknowledged the Latics boss.

"And obviously it came to a resolution in midweek.

"I know we have to move on, the club and the players, but I wouldn't say it was a particularly happy moment.

"I just think it's the circumstances that have made it so difficult on both sides.

"As soon as the players let us know their intentions, it became clear - quite quickly - that it was not going to be a swift process.

"All the players that did it, I wanted to be a big part of our squad this season...they were players I absolutely did not want to lose.

"In terms of the two lads who left in midweek, in the end, it just became a situation where the club had to make a decision on going down a path of spending quite a lot of money on a legal team.

"And the decision was made to accept the players' request to terminate their contracts."

Maloney spoke to both of the players following the announcement on Wednesday evening.

"I met them both on Thursday morning, and it was really difficult," he said.

"They've obviously had advice - and I have my own opinion on that advice.

"At the end of the day, we've lost two really good players, and two guys I had a lot of time for.

"But in the end, the situation was taken out of our hands, and we decided to accept the players' right to terminate."

On Whatmough, he added: "When it comes down to me and the player, I have to remember what Jack Whatmough did for me last year.

"After I came in during January, he was one of our outstanding players.

"I think the fans have seen how we want to play, they saw us last week against Everton, and they knew that does suit how Jack plays.

"And for me, in the short period of time I got to work with him last season, he gave me absolutely everything.

"He played under pressure, and he put his body on the line.

"And I think it's that which made the situation even harder for me...to know that he'd handed in his notice and, in the end, he's left the club.”

On McGrath, he added: "Regarding Jamie, I went to watch him at the end of last season against Motherwell.

"The way we're going to play, and the position I was going to ask him to play, it suited him down to the ground.

"It's slightly different to Jack, I didn't have any experience of working with him, only the last couple of weeks.

"He came back from Ireland duty with a slight injury, and had only just got himself fit.

"But as an individual I really like him, and in terms of being on the pitch, a really intelligent guy.

"He has a great work ethic, and I think that's what makes it really sad."