Football leagues are found all over the world, but the Premier League is one of the greatest for many players. It boasts some of the loudest fan communities in the world, is rich in history, and has given rise to many legends.
Early in his career, Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior had a taste of life in the Premier League. At the age of 21, he agreed to a five-year contract worth more than $31 million with Chelsea F.C. in 2012. At the time, that was a huge event, and Oscar had a lot of success at the club early on.
In addition to winning the Premier League Cup in 2014–15, Chelsea also won the UEFA Europa League in 2012–13. In 131 games with Chelsea, he scored 21 goals.
Chinese Super League
Oscar seems likely to remain in the Premier League for many years to come. Then, with roughly six months remaining on his five-year deal, Oscar agreed to a deal with the Chinese Super League's Shanghai SIPG. Several athletes and coaches showed their disappointment at Oscar's choice.
Jamie Carragher, a former soccer player stated:
“It was disgraceful for a person to drop their career and the opportunity to play for financial gain.”
According to Chelsea manager Antonio Conte:
"Your enthusiasm should come before.”
But Oscar stuck to his beliefs. He gave a fairly direct response to the criticism, saying:
“China has enormous economic power and often makes offers that are impossible for players to turn down. In Brazil, I come from a very poor financial background. We had nothing. This is the fruit of my hard work.”
Oscar Earnings from this Deal
Oscar had the opportunity to become a star in China and earn even more money there, but he could have signed a big contract with Chelsea. He considered that to be a good exchange.
Oscar was one of the highest-paid athletes in the world when he signed his first deal with Shanghai SIPG, which was reportedly worth $400,000 per week. Then, in December 2019, he made a wise choice. He changed the terms of his contract so that it was worth more than $25 million annually for five years.
This restructuring took place one month earlier than the Chinese government implementing salary limits on foreign players. Before this law change, Oscar had secured his much bigger agreement, but the maximum they could earn was roughly $3 million a year.
Oscar Comeback
Oscar declared his intention to return home on Christmas Day. He is returning to São Paulo, where he started playing more than twenty years ago.
After seven years in China, he earned almost $182 million. That is around six times what he earned with Chelsea. Oscar also performed wonderfully. During his stay in China, he scored 77 goals and won two China Super League championships. Oscar may now bring a sizable sum of money home to spend with his family. That type of glory is unique.