Downes is set to leave his position at the end of the season, according to reports.

The recruitment supremo joined up with Wednesday in 2019 after Steve Bruce was appointed as head coach before the manager resigned five months later to take over at Newcastle United.

While stressing that the reports regarding Downes are 'speculation' as it stands, Moore, whose side finish off the regular League One season at home to Derby County at a sold-out Hillsborough on Sunday lunch-time, has reiterated that the club's recruitment plans are already well down the line in terms of the summer targets.

Moore said: "After the weekend, when we get through the Bank Holiday, we will be able to speak about all the speculation that is surrounding David, we will be able to talk and deal with that.

"What I'd say there's been a lot of speculation with David (at the minute), but nothing concrete. I have got to treat it as speculation. Should the football club hear anything concrete on the matter, then obviously we will communicate that.

"At the moment, it's been speculation and we treat it that way.

"What I would (also) say is that the work for next season is already in place and done.

"Such has been the work and getting things in place at this football club, that we have worked extremely hard over the last two seasons. That is illustrated by the start of the season (summer) when we got all those players in very, very early.

"Sheffield Wednesday had never been in that situation where we'd done all our work early. The same can be said now that (with) the targets we need to bring in next season, that the work is already in place."

Meanwhile, Moore stuck to his recent pre-match policy of not talking about injury issues after questioned about speculation suggesting that striker Lee Gregory suffered a nasty facial injury in training earlier this week.

He said: “I don’t want to speak about injury updates.

“I just want to focus on the fit boys – all I want to do is focus on that, especially with the game coming up on Sunday."

Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore on David Downes and a reassuring message to supporters