Derby County player should pick Middlesbrough over West Ham, Burnley and others in January: View | OneFootball

As the January transfer window is just around the corner, teams like Middlesbrough are identifying potential targets.

It is expected that Boro are going to be a busy side during the January window, just like they were in the summer one.

Michael Carrick was allowed to make significant changes to his squad, as he was keen to ensure they were just as strong as their squad last season.

It was a slow start to this campaign, but once they got firing, impressive results have seen them close the gap on the play-off places.

So, now that they are within touching distance, Carrick will be keen to keep that up, and he may see one or two new arrivals as a way of strengthening their bid for promotion.

There have been a few names linked with a move to the Riverside Stadium in the last few weeks, with the latest name to emerge being Derby County’s Eiran Cashin.

There has been plenty of talk about Middlesbrough possibly signing a new central defender after Darragh Lenihan suffered an injury that is likely to see him miss the rest of the season.

Cashin is the latest defender to emerge, and he is someone that hasn’t been shot of interest for a while now, as Premier League side Brighton tried to sign him on several occasions during the summer.

The Seagulls made several bids and Cashin was close to a move in a deal that is believed to have been worth £4 million, but it never got over the line.

Now, according to TEAMtalk, Brighton are still pursuing a move for Cashin but face stiff competition from Birmingham City, West Ham, Burnley, Sheffield United, and Middlesbrough.

The defender is out of contract at Derby in the summer, and unless a new contract is agreed, the Rams are aware they will likely have to sell the Republic of Ireland international.

Cashin is a well-sought-after player, and it is likely that in January he will be leaving Derby for a new club.

Obviously, at this stage, it is very unclear what team he will join, as no one has yet met Derby’s demands, and it is uncertain who will.

But if all these interested teams decide to meet the Rams’ demands, and then it comes down to the player’s choice, Cashin needs to make the right decision for his career, and in this case, it may be wise to pick Middlesbrough over these other sides.

This is because he would take a step up in his career, but he wouldn’t be going from League One to the Premier League in no time; he would be getting more football under his belt in the Championship, a league that can prepare him for the top flight.

Cashin needs to go somewhere where he is going to continue to play on a regular basis but also play for a team that suits his style of play and can help him take his game to the next level.

At Boro, he could be ticking all those boxes, as he would play under a manager who would see Cashin as his ideal centre-back, someone who is comfortable on the ball but can do the main job of defending.

Plus, he would likely play a lot for Middlesbrough, as they are suffering from injuries in defence, and Carrick wouldn’t be signing Cashin for him to just sit on the bench.

The defender has played just 18 times in the Championship, 14 of them have come as starts. He has an expected goal ratio of 0.2, while in those appearances he has made five progressive carries with the ball and made 27 progressive passes, as per Fbref.com.

He has attempted 916 passes in the Championship, with 788 being completed, meaning he has a competition rate of 86%. While defensively, he has made 23 tackles, with 15 of them being successful. He has also made 18 blocks and 25 interceptions, as per Fbref.com.

This was all done in limited appearances and at a time when he was playing for a struggling team and had just broken through. Cashin is now a more established EFL defender, and given what Carrick has done at Middlesbrough, it could be said that joining Boro could help him go to that next stage.

Cashin will want to play in the Premier League, and it will be hard for him to turn that down now, but joining Middlesbrough and playing in the Championship could be what he needs next in his development, as Premier League sides will still remain interested, and when that opportunity comes again, he will make the move being a much better player.