Remember Oscar?
Chelsea’s Brazilian midfielder, who used to play well until Christmas before his form went off a cliff?
A talented player, capable of scoring great goals on very rare occasions, who is a surprisingly good tackler and currently can’t within an inch of Antonio Conte’s starting team?
Yeah, well he’s about to become the seventh most expensive player in the history of professional football.
The 25-year-old will join Shanghai SIPG in the Chinese Super League for £60m next month, according to numerous reports.
Oscar’s form at Chelsea has steadily declined since his first season, after joining the club from Internacional in 2012.
The midfielder has made 202 appearances for the club, scoring 38 goals, but each season has been less productive than the last and he’s currently on the fringes of Antonio Conte’s team.
Oscar started Chelsea’s first five Premier League games this season, with his last start in the league coming against Liverpool in the 1-2 loss at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are currently on a nine-game winning streak, and the Brazilian has found himself out of the team, playing just 25-minutes in the league since September.
So, naturally, being a bit-part player in the team, Shanghai SIPG felt Oscar was worth £60m.
The Chinese Super League club are coached by Andre Villas-Boas, meaning Oscar won’t be allowed near the gym, and Oscar’s compatriot Hulk signed back in July. The Brazil forward’s contract is reportedly worth €20m a year.
Chelsea will make a £35m profit on Oscar, and will reportedly use some of the money to try sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.
