Moritz Leitner has left Norwich City by 'mutual agreement'.

The Canaries confirmed the departure of the out-of-favour midfielder on Tuesday afternoon.

Leitner was entering the final 12 months of the deal he signed in 2018 but had not kicked a ball for the club since an FA Cup tie at Preston in January 2020.

The 28-year-old made 53 appearances for the club following his initial loan move from Augsburg, which was made permanent in July 2018, but was deemed surplus to requirements following City's Premier League relegation in 2020.

Both Leitner and fellow German midfielder Tom Trybull were told they could find other clubs as City plotted a Championship comeback under Daniel Farke.

City confirmed the departure in a brief statement on their official site, citing a 'mutual agreement' had been reached to cancel the midfielder's contract.

It added: 'All at Norwich City would like to thank Moritz for his contributions to the club and wish him well in his future endeavours.'

Farke was forced to dismiss speculation he had a fallout with Leitner during the previous failed Premier League tilt, after making 29 appearances in the 2018/19 Championship promotion-winning season.

He also notably scored a crucial goal to salvage a point in an East Anglian derby at Ipswich early in that campaign.

The cultured playmaker first came through under Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, and was on the bench in a Champions League final at Wembley.

But Leitner never managed to establish himself as a first choice under Klopp and later moved on to Lazio and Augsburg, prior to arriving in Norfolk.