Derby County: Fresh Eiran Cashan transfer stance emerges as Brighton set to ramp up interest | OneFootball

Derby County defender Eiran Cashin is reportedly keen to complete a move to Brighton and Hove Albion this month

Brighton and Hove Albion are pushing forward with their interest in Derby County defender Eiran Cashin, who is said to be keen to complete a switch to the Premier League outfit.

That’s according to a recent report from DerbyshireLive, where the central defender’s stance on a potential move this month has been revealed in an undoubted blow for Paul Warne’s side.

Cashin has been integral for Derby in 2024/25, and the Rams will not intend on losing his services mid-season unless a significant offer arrives from the south coast.

The Derby academy product has been an ever-present since making his graduation to the first-team fold under Wayne Rooney in the 2021/22 Championship season.

Cashin has captained the Rams on a number of occasions, having tallied up 144 appearances and counting at the age of 23.

Derby County's Eiran Cashin keen to complete Brighton transfer move

As per the aforementioned report, Cashin is keen to secure a move to Brighton before the window is up and it remains to be seen just what effect that has on Derby’s chances of retaining him, which they would likely want to do until the summer at least.

Worries were heightened on Saturday afternoon when, after Derby fell to a 2-1 defeat away at Cardiff City, Cashin - who was surprisingly not handed the captaincy, which was instead on the arm of Ben Osborn - stayed behind long after his teammates had returned to the dressing room to applaud the travelling supporters in what many perceived as a goodbye gesture.

Last week, journalist Pete O’Rourke reported via his X account that Brighton, who have been long-term admirers of Cashin’s, had launched a fresh bid for the highly-rated defender.

DerbyshireLive’s report states Brighton are yet to propose a figure that would tempt the Rams to change their stance, with the Championship strugglers adamant about not sanctioning a sale.

The Seagulls are said to be “far” from reaching a deal for Cashin, with a significant sum surely required in order to prize him away from Pride Park.

But it’s not the first time Brighton have expressed an interest. The ambitious top-flight side nearly completed a deal for Cashin on deadline day in the summer of 2023, which fell through after they failed to get the proposed move over the line in time.

Derby County have to avoid Eiran Cashin, Brighton transfer this month - but every player has a price

Cashin is Derby’s single biggest asset and will have a price, of course, while his status as an academy graduate means he will eventually go down as full profit - allowing the Rams more scope to reinvest into the squad when he does leave the club.

But they can ill-afford to let that happen just yet. The East Midlands side are in the midst of a second-tier relegation dogfight, with an alarming run of form across the turn of the year plunging them into contention to make an immediate return to League One.

Their woes have been compounded by an ongoing defensive injury crisis, which has claimed both Nat Phillips and Curtis Nelson - with the latter sidelined for the remainder of the season - while Cashin himself has only recently returned from a spell on the treatment table.

Remarkably, the former Republic of Ireland youth international is Derby’s only fit and available senior central defender at the minute. Now, more than ever before, they just cannot afford to see him move on - but when it's all said and done, every player has a price.