Kaua Santos has dismissed speculation linking him with a big-money move to Manchester United, saying his “entire focus” remains on Eintracht Frankfurt as he recovers from a serious knee injury.
The 22-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper joined Eintracht from Flamengo in 2023 and made his senior debut in a 2-1 Bundesliga win over Wolfsburg. However, a cruciate ligament tear suffered during the Europa League quarter-final against Tottenham brought a premature end to what had been a promising first season.
Despite being sidelined, Santos has continued to attract interest from Europe’s top clubs. Manchester United are reportedly eyeing the highly rated shot-stopper, viewing him as a possible replacement for Andre Onana, whose inconsistent form has prompted internal discussions. Reports also surfaced of United director of recruitment Christopher Vivell meeting Eintracht’s sporting director Markus Krosche to discuss a potential £51 million deal.
But in a recent interview with Die Welt, Santos cooled talk of a move, reiterating his commitment to Frankfurt.
“The management at Eintracht Frankfurt have shown tremendous confidence in me,” he said. “They wanted to continue working with me before these rumours even surfaced. They still have a lot of faith in me here, so it was clear to me that I decided to extend my contract [last October].”
Santos is currently tied to Frankfurt until 2030 and is focused on getting back to full fitness, with a return expected in the autumn.
“I want to establish myself as a goalkeeper, perform well and achieve as much as possible,” he added.
When asked about his ambitions with the club, Santos expressed belief in Frankfurt’s ability to challenge for honours.
“The club has shown repeatedly with the DFB Cup and Europa League victories, as well as with our Champions League qualification, that great things are possible here. I want to help repeat such successes.”
Bayern Munich have also been credited with interest in Santos as a potential long-term successor to Manuel Neuer. Asked about the rumours, he was quick to downplay them:
“Manuel is a role model for every goalkeeper. Every goalkeeper who comes along now has learned from him. I’m not busy with anything else at the moment because my entire focus is on Eintracht Frankfurt.”
Santos named fellow Brazilians Alisson Becker and Ederson as his goalkeeping inspirations:
“I especially look up to my two compatriots. Alisson’s positioning and one-on-one skills are incredible. I’ve improved in those areas. Ederson is world-class with the ball—his precision and decision-making are something I study closely.”
While transfer speculation continues, for now Kaua Santos remains grounded—fully committed to his recovery and to making his mark at Eintracht Frankfurt.