Athletico Paranaense received an extrajudicial notification from Kauã Moraes, indicating his decision to unilaterally terminate his contract by paying the release clause of approximately R$ 10 million. Athletico had been negotiating to adjust Kauã's salary and renew his contract, having recently secured 70% of his economic rights after purchasing an additional 20% from Palmeiras. In July, Cruzeiro, through their Director of Football Paulo Pelaipe, had shown interest in signing Kauã Moraes. The negotiations were handled by Athletico's President, Mario Celso Petraglia, and Cruzeiro's SAF Vice-President, Pedrinho Júnior. Athletico had assured Cruzeiro that they would not deposit the release clause and had promised them priority in any future negotiations during the transfer window in January 2026. However, Kauã Moraes ultimately decided to terminate his contract with Athletico, leading to a dispute over the conduct of the involved parties.

Kauã Moraes, an 18-year-old footballer, signed a contract with Cruzeiro on Friday and traveled to Belo Horizonte on Saturday to complete medical examinations and integrate into the team. He was brought in to replace Fagner, who is currently sidelined due to injury. Previously, Kauã was associated with Palmeiras' youth teams and later joined Athletico-PR's Sub-20 team before advancing to their senior squad. During his time at Athletico-PR, he participated in 14 matches and netted three goals for the Sub-20 team, and after his promotion, he played in 16 games, scoring two goals and contributing one assist for the main team. Kauã represents Cruzeiro's second acquisition in this transfer window, following the signing of Colombian forward Sinisterra. Additionally, the club is targeting another forward, Keny Arroyo, and has submitted an offer to Besiktas.