Derby County have Eiran Cashin protection if Brighton come knocking again: View | OneFootball

Derby County's 2023-24 campaign will be one to remember as the Rams secured a return to Championship football at the second time of asking.

Paul Warne's side were brilliant and no matter the pressure Bolton Wanderers placed on them, they held off the Lancashire side to earn themselves that second automatic spot.

A man who was crucial all season long was Eiran Cashin.

The 22-year-old became a real leader and displayed his true ability from centre-back as they became the division's tightest defence.

All this might not have been possible had the Rams accepted the previous summer's bids for Cashin from Brighton and Hove Albion.

With promotion secured and a new long-term deal signed, Warne's side are positioned much better this year to persuade Cashin to stay put at Pride Park.

Summer 2023 interest in Cashin

Whilst Derby were unable to earn promotion in 2022-23, Cashin performed brilliantly in his first full season as he made 52 appearances across all competitions. Rightly, he was commended by various people across the division for his splendid performances and can't have been far off a place in the League One Team of the Year.

The interest that came in from Brighton was no surprise then, with Cashin able to pair his defensive duties with his supreme footballing ability - matching that of at-the-time Albion manager, Roberto de Zerbi.

The Seagulls swooped in with several bids that didn't meet Derby's valuation of £3 million, with the Rams also looking to take him back on a loan deal for the season.

Eventually, Brighton did meet the required fee but with minimal hours left in the window, there wasn't sufficient time to complete the medical, and certify the deal.

Whilst Cashin was willing to move to the south coast, it wasn't the be-all and end-all for him, as he admitted in an interview with Derbyshire Live in March.

"You wait to figure out what is happening, but it's all above my head. I'm just told whether it's happening or not. I felt like it was a tough time to go through, but if anything, it makes you stronger.

In the end, I think it's probably worked out best because I like being at Derby and with us not being promoted last season, I felt like I owed the club that."

Having accepted that he owed the club promotion, Cashin was able to achieve that after securing Championship football with a final day 2-0 win over relegated Carlisle United.

Cashin's importance cannot be understated

Whilst Derby will by no means be one of the favourites for promotion, a smart summer combined with their current crop of players could see them finish in a decent position.

A man who will be crucial in this is Cashin, who is undoubtedly of sufficient quality for the second tier.

For fans of the Derbyshire club, they will be desperate to keep a hold of their defender, and they will understand that having been promoted, they can now offer him a level of football that matches his ability.

In addition, his new contract keeps him at the club until 2027, so any renewed interest from Brighton will likely see a much more significant fee required if they want to purchase the centre-back.

With other Championship sides having previously reported interest, they can now likely exclude any approaches from teams that will be in the same division as them.

However, Brighton and other Premier League sides may return and Derby will have to pray that all the measures they have taken are enough to see the irreplaceable Cashin feature for them next year.