The 20-year-old midfielder is well down the pecking order at City and feels he is ready for a move.
"It is a good move for me at this stage of my career," said Whelan.
"The priority is to get first team football and I hope I will get that at Wednesday."
Whelan, who was on loan at Bury earlier in the season, has been a regular for the reserves and appeared for Ireland's U20s in the Youth World Cup before Christmas.