Birmingham City's defensive options have been reduced after Brighton & Hove Albion activated a recall clause for loanee Eiran Cashin, who has immediately joined Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Loan spell cut short after limited impact
The 24-year-old defender's time at St Andrew's has been brought to an abrupt end midway through the season. Cashin made just three starts in the Championship for Birmingham, with a further eight appearances coming from the substitutes' bench.
His opportunities were limited after a difficult full league debut against Sheffield Wednesday back in September, where two errors saw him fall down the pecking order. Manager Chris Davies subsequently preferred the centre-back trio of Christoph Klarer, Phil Neumann and Jack Robinson for much of the campaign.
Injuries provided brief chance before exit
A spate of injuries over the Christmas period did offer the Republic of Ireland under-21 international a route back into the side. Cashin was deployed at left-back for starts against Derby County and Southampton, before making two further substitute appearances against Watford and Coventry City.
His final outing in the royal blue shirt came in that cameo against Coventry, where he featured as part of a back three. Brighton, who signed the player from Derby County for £8 million just twelve months ago, have now decided his development is better served elsewhere.
Blackburn's system offers fresh start
Cashin's destination is Ewood Park, where he will link up with Valerien Ismael's Blackburn Rovers. The move is seen as a logical fit, as Rovers consistently employ a back three formation, a system in which Cashin has experience.
The Lancashire club have recently been fielding rookie George Pratt on the left side of their defence, suggesting an opportunity for the more experienced Cashin to compete for a starting role immediately. The switch represents a chance for the defender to reignite his season after a stop-start first half with Birmingham.
For Birmingham City, the departure leaves them with one fewer defensive option as they continue their push in the second half of the Championship season. The club's recruitment team may now assess the market for potential reinforcements following this unexpected change in their squad depth.
