Chelsea have announced that midfielder Oscar has agreed to join Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG after four and a half years at Stamford Bridge. At his time at Chelsea Oscar had won the Premier League, Europa League and League Cup but will leave the club in the January transfer market.
The Brazilian will leave the club for a fee of around £52 million which would make him the Blues’ most expensive sale ever as well as one of the biggest deals to take a player out of the Premier League. Skillful, hard-working and tenacious, Oscar has been highly regarded by fans, players and staff during his time as a Blue, scoring 38 times from 203 Chelsea appearances. However, the play-maker has fallen out of favor with current Blues boss Anonio Conte and was struggling to find a regular place in the starting 11.
Oscar made his arrival from Brazil, Internacional in 2012 and made a statement of intent by scoring two superb goals in his Champions League debut against Juventus, who were then managed by Conte.
It was in the Europa League that Oscar picked up his first medal with Chelsea, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 win over Benfica in the final at Amsterdam before becoming a key player under Jose Mourinho, favored in the number 10 role thanks to his ability to work effectively at both ends of the pitch.
Oscar came off the bench to help secure the League Cup final win over Tottenham Hotspur in March 2015 at Wembley after he played a key figure in also aiding Chelsea winning the Premier League in May. But due to a dip in form this season and not able to fit into Conte’s 3-4-3 system, Oscar hasn’t been able to impose himself on this Chelsea squad that are currently topping the table by six points.
Antonio Conte expressed his disappointment over Oscar leaving the club,
“I am sorry because he’s leaving as a really good player and a really good man,” the Italian remarked. “I must be honest about this but I also understand him and his decision.”
Having made only five starts in the Premier League this season and a further four appearances off the bench, as well as playing twice in the League Cup he certainly wasn’t getting enough game time.
Shanghai becomes Oscar’s fourth senior club, the midfielder having previously turned out for Sao Paulo and Internacional in his native Brazil. He is now set for a £20 million-per-year contract in the Chinese Super League.