Manchester United Scouts Target Brazilian Striker Kaua Elias

Manchester United’s summer rebuild is not done yet, and the next piece of business may already be taking shape in eastern Europe.

Club scouts were in Lviv on Monday to watch Shakhtar Donetsk forward Kaua Elias – and the 20-year-old could hardly have delivered a louder audition. Under the gaze of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, the Brazilian hit a perfect hat-trick in a 5-1 demolition of Kudrivka, a performance that has accelerated talk of an official bid from Old Trafford.

Perfect hat-trick, perfect timing

Right foot, left foot, header. One of each, all in one game. For a striker under inspection, there are cleaner ways to make a point, but not many more emphatic.

Reports claim United and Arsenal both had representatives in the stands as Elias led Shakhtar’s rout, a display that reinforced why the Ukrainian club now value him at around £30million. AC Milan and Porto are also in the frame, with Rossoneri chiefs said to be actively weighing up an offer and the player’s camp already receiving what have been described as “concrete signals” from interested clubs.

Elias only joined Shakhtar from Fluminense in 2025, yet his rise has been sharp. Twelve goals and three assists in 39 appearances is not an earth-shattering return on paper, but those inside recruitment departments see more than numbers. They see movement, aggression, and a profile that fits modern elite football.

Built for United’s press?

United’s scouting reports on Elias have gone beyond highlight reels. After a period of monitoring his recent performances, club analysts are said to have concluded that he possesses the “potential to develop into a top-level centre-forward” and, crucially, that he would mesh with United’s tactical identity.

The Brazilian has been described as “highly compatible with United’s press-heavy, fast-transition system” – the kind of forward who can harry defenders, spring counters and still carry a penalty-box threat. In an era where the No.9 is expected to be the first defender as much as the last finisher, that matters.

Those internal assessments have pushed Elias up the list of options. An official offer from Old Trafford is now expected, though the competition is real and growing.

Arsenal watching, Europe circling

United are not alone. Arsenal have been tracking Elias for several weeks, monitoring his adaptation to European football and his output in a Shakhtar side that routinely asks its forwards to work hard off the ball. The player is believed to be open to a move to one of Europe’s top leagues, and the Premier League’s pull remains strong.

AC Milan, long admirers of emerging South American forwards, are also in the conversation, while Porto’s presence underlines how widely Elias has been scouted. For Shakhtar, this is familiar territory: nurture, showcase, then negotiate from a position of strength.

Carrick’s forward gap

Back in Manchester, the need for another striker is clear. Michael Carrick currently has only Benjamin Sesko as a recognised out-and-out centre-forward in his senior squad. Joshua Zirkzee is expected to depart, with Juventus showing strong interest, which would strip further depth from the attacking line.

United moved decisively in midfield, bringing in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to reshape the engine room. The spine, though, still needs reinforcing. With weeks left in the transfer window, recruitment plans include a third midfielder, a full-back and, vitally, a striker capable of growing with the project.

That is where Elias comes in: young enough to develop, proven enough to tempt a sizeable investment, stylistically aligned with the way United want to play.

A window still in motion

Altay Bayindir’s loan move to Celta Vigo on Friday, with a £3.5m option to buy, was another small but telling piece of business, trimming the squad and freeing space for further moves. The window at Old Trafford is still very much alive.

United now face a familiar dilemma: move quickly on a promising talent before the market inflates, or risk losing him to a rival who blinks first. Elias has done his part with that hat-trick in Lviv.

The next move belongs to Manchester United.