Kauan Batista

Six weeks separated Cauan's first appearance for Cruzeiro's senior side from his signature in Kharkiv. He came on in the Campeonato Mineiro against Pouso Alegre on 10 January 2026; by February he had been sold to Metalist 1925 Kharkiv.

The month between the two was the busiest of his career. Cruzeiro's youth team won the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, the Copinha, in January 2026, and Cauan finished the run with a goal and three assists in four matches. It was his first season in the club's system, and effectively the whole of his time there.

He was born in Benevento, Italy, to Brazilian parents. His father, Cleyton Baptistella, played futsal. Cauan's football education was Brazilian: São Paulo's academy from 2020 to 2022, then four years in the youth ranks at SCA Brasil before Cruzeiro took him in 2026.

Brazilian press reported the transfer fee to Metalist 1925 at €5m, with Cruzeiro retaining 30 per cent of his economic rights. He debuted in the Ukrainian Premier League on 21 February 2026, against Kryvbas, a little over a month after his first taste of senior football in Brazil.

The early returns in Ukraine have been modest. He has made eight league appearances and two in the Ukrainian Cup, without a goal, and has been booked once.