The Seagulls are very interested in landing Rams centre-back Eiran Cashin, and Derby have now named their price

Derby County have had somewhat of an inconsistent start to the 2023-24 League One season, but there are now signs that they are well and truly finding their feet under Paul Warne

A 4-2 win over Peterborough this past weekend showed that the Rams are not to be taken lightly in the early stages of the season despite home defeats to Wigan Athletic and Oxford United, and that victory was without star midfielder Max Bird and after the summer sale of Jason Knight to Bristol City.

Head coach Paul Warne will want to strengthen his hand in the final days of the summer transfer window, but there is the threat of losing one of his top stars to the Premier League.

Eiran Cashin, who was handed his debut by Wayne Rooney in December 2021, has developed into one of the most exciting centre-backs not just in League One, but in the EFL.

And the form of the 21-year-old has not gone unnoticed, with Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion having offers turned down for Cashin, and they do not have long left to strike a deal before the 11pm deadline on September 1.

What is Derby County’s transfer stance on Eiran Cashin?

Like any club, the Rams do not want to cash in on their star players, but as a League One outfit they perhaps need to be realistic and if they want to be self-sufficient then they will probably be open to doing a deal.

And that is exactly their stance on any potential sale of Cashin to Brighton, with the Derby Telegraph outlining the price that it would take for a deal to be struck.

County are asking for a fee in excess of £3 million for the Republic of Ireland youth international and they may even ask to let Cashin stay at Pride Park for the rest of the 2023-24 season.

That would not only benefit Paul Warne, who would get to keep one of his best players for one more year, but it would also benefit the Seagulls as despite the fact De Zerbi needs to juggle Premier League, Europa League and EFL Cup and FA Cup football this season, he has enough at his disposal in defence to not need Cashin this year.

Should Derby cash in on Eiran Cashin this summer?

It will be a hard one for the Rams to take, but should they get the £3 million or more offer for Cashin that Brighton can quite clearly afford, then they will reluctantly have to cash in.

That money would go a long way to not only bolstering Warne’s budget but also making sure that Derby are a well-run club and can stand on their own feet and not have to rely on owner David Clowes for funding.

It would also represent a fantastic story for the Derby academy, who have brought through and nurtured several individuals over the years and have seen Jason Knight also move on this summer, but whilst he arrived from Ireland as a teenager, Cashin has been at the club since he was a child.

You’d now expect Brighton to complete a deal in the dying stages of the transfer window, and if Derby can get a season-long loan back then it will be even better business.