Norwich City and Liam Manning must do all they can to seal Brighton transfer this summer | OneFootball

Norwich City must improve their defence if they are to push for promotion, and Brighton's Eiran Cashin could improve Liam Manning's XI.

Norwich City have had a real shake-up following their disappointing 2024/25 season, with Liam Manning in place as the new head coach.

The Canaries are also expected to be very active in the transfer market, and some high-profile exits are on the cards, with Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent two players who are attracting plenty of interest.

However, it won’t all be about outgoings, and any sales will add to the budget that is available to Manning.

Norwich City need more defensive reinforcements even with Harry Darling arrival

Norwich are already making progress when it comes to strengthening the squad, as Ajax defender Jakov Medic is poised to join, in addition to the signing of Swansea City's Harry Darling.

But, further defensive additions are required, as Norwich’s 68 goals conceded last season was a major factor as to why they didn’t sustain their play-off push.

Simply put, they need better players at the back, and both Darling and Medic will arrive with a decent pedigree, but Manning knows that at least one more centre-back must come through the door to add to his current crop, which also includes Panama international Jose Cordoba.

Eiran Cashin would be an ideal fit for Norwich City

And, a standout option for the Canaries would be Eiran Cashin, who is expected to leave Brighton on loan this summer.

The Irish defender is well-known to Championship fans, as he came through the ranks at Derby County, making almost 150 appearances for the club, which included spending the first half of the previous campaign at Pride Park.

His performances prompted Brighton to spend around £9m on the 23-year-old, and their track record in the market indicates how highly they think of the centre-back.

It’s easy to see why, as Cashin is a solid player, the type who relishes the physical battle, whilst he is also comfortable on the ball.

Cashin has also captained Derby on occasions, which shows his leadership qualities, so he ticks plenty of boxes for Norwich.

We know that Manning wants to put his own mark on this Norwich side, and he would be right to build from the back.

It’s about putting solid foundations in place, and getting business done early will give the new boss time to work with the team during pre-season as they adapt to his methods, so they should push for Cashin as soon as possible.

It won’t be easy to get a deal done, as there is sure to be plenty of interest in the player, but Norwich is an attractive option, particularly under Manning, who has a reputation for improving individuals.

There is likely to be a high turnover of players at Carrow Road, but Norwich need genuine quality if they are to be in the mix for promotion.

Cashin would be a great start, as he would rectify a problem position for the team, and it would show Norwich mean business under the new boss.