Cruzeiro set to negotiate Cauã Baptistella transfer with Ukraine’s Metalist | OneFootball

Cruzeiro is close to finalizing the transfer of midfielder Cauan Baptistella, 18 years old, to European football. The negotiation is well underway and involves an Eastern European club, Metalist from Ukraine. The information was obtained by Central da Toca and confirmed by our reporting team.

The agreement foresees a sale in the region of 5 million euros, an amount that is around R$ 30 million at the current exchange rate. Even with the player's departure, Cruzeiro will remain linked to his future, as the club will retain 30% of his economic rights, a common strategy for the club in negotiations involving young athletes.

Revealed in Cruzeiro's youth academy, Baptistella rose to prominence after being one of the standouts in the victorious campaign at the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. His strong performance accelerated his integration into the main squad in 2026, under the command of Tite. The midfielder even played at the beginning of the Campeonato Mineiro and made a good impression, including a direct goal involvement right in one of his first opportunities among the professionals, taking a corner kick for Kauã Prates, another youth standout, to score with a header.

Last year, Baptistella agreed to extend his contract with Cruzeiro, signing a new deal valid until December 2030, with a release clause for the foreign market of 60 million euros (approximately R$ 360 million). Last year, the Italo-Brazilian scored 17 goals and provided 4 assists in 43 matches for the Under-20 team. The youngster leaves Raposa after only one appearance among the professionals.

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