Arsenal and Manchester United scout Shakhtar Donetsk striker Kauã Elias after hat-trick performance

Two of the Premier League’s biggest clubs have turned their attention to Shakhtar Donetsk striker Kauã Elias after the 20-year-old Brazilian delivered a hat-trick in his side’s 5-1 demolition to open the 2026/27 Ukrainian Premier League season. Both Arsenal and Manchester United submitted positive scouting reports on the forward, signaling that a transfer battle could be brewing. For a player purchased for €17 million just 18 months ago, the trajectory here is steep. Shakhtar’s asking price now sits between €35 million and €40 million, representing a potential return of more than 2x on their initial investment. The performance that turned heads Elias’s August 3 display was the kind of statement performance that forces scouts to upgrade their reports from “monitor” to “pursue.” He netted three goals in the match, including two within a 17-minute window, earning Player of the Match honors. The league itself took notice too, naming Elias the best player of the opening round. For a striker born on March 28, 2006, who only turned 20 earlier this year, that kind of recognition at a young age tends to accelerate transfer timelines considerably. Manchester United reportedly had Elias on th...