Derby County would have breathed a major sigh of relief that Eiran Cashin stayed put this January at Pride Park, despite fervent interest from a number of higher up suitors trying to tempt the highly regarded Rams talent away.
Putting pen on paper to a new deal until 2027 to further show his commitment to the League One club, Cashin's main focus – alongside his fellow Derby teammates – will be now on clinching promotion come the end of the season back up to the second tier.
If Paul Warne's side aren't successful in achieving this goal, regardless of new contracts or not, they will again face an uphill battle to keep a firm grip on the 22-year-old defender.
Derby will lose Max Bird at the end of the season for sure to Bristol City, with a move confirmed to happen in the summer this January, but there's one midfielder already at the Robins that evokes regret from a Rams perspective with Warne's men offloading the player in question for what now feels like a cut-price fee.
The fee Derby County sold Jason Knight for
Coming through the youth ranks in Derbyshire around the same time as both Cashin and Bird were beginning to gain plaudits, Jason Knight could well have demanded a bigger fee to win his services in retrospect.
Making 166 appearances for his boyhood club before the Robins came calling, Knight's final season in Derby colours saw the now 22-year-old bag two goals and pick up three assists in League One.
Taken aback by the allure of playing in the division above, Knight would move to Ashton Gate for what now looks like a bargain price of £2m after the season had concluded.
Knight hasn't looked back since, coming on leaps and bounds at Bristol City with his importance to the Robins cause only being elevated under Liam Manning this season.
As a direct consequence, the versatile midfielder's transfer value has increased only to further pile on the misery from a Derby point of view.
Jason Knight's increased transfer value
As it stands, Knight's transfer value has increased by 200% since leaving Derby behind last year – the 22-year-old now boasting a boosted worth of €7.5m (£6.3m), according to Football Transfers.
This is down to Knight becoming a key first-teamer under Manning at Ashton Gate this campaign to date, netting six goals in all competitions for his new employers from 39 appearances.
Playing in a whole host of different positions – which has even included the ex-Derby man playing as a centre-forward from time to time – Knight has predominantly excelled in an attacking midfield spot where he's picked up three goals and three goals from 21 games.
Showcasing his class for Bristol over Derby's arch-rivals Nottingham Forest recently with a dinked goal, Knight will have his mind set on continuing to excel to try and help his side mount a serious charge for the playoff positions in the Championship.
It seems Wayne Rooney was justified when he waxed lyrical about Knight being "first class" when he was Rams manager, the former Derby youth product making the step-up to the second tier look effortless this campaign.
Bird will reconnect with Knight at Ashton Gate next season hoping he can copy what the 22-year-old has managed to accomplish, with Warne's side praying that Bristol City don't make Derby look foolish again for letting go of another top young talent for too little.
