The Saudi Arabia League is shining with the glory of the golden dollar, while the Chinese Super League, the golden era seems to be a thing of the past. At the end of this month, the last superstar of the Chinese Super League, Oscar, will say goodbye to Shanghai Harbor, and his contract will come to an end. With the new season's strict salary control, the possibility of Oscar's contract extension with Shanghai Harbor is like a candle in the wind, and the latest news from ESPN Brazil reveals that Oscar has signed an agreement with Sao Paulo to return to Brazil's Primera Division.
Oscar's move to São Paulo is said to be a no-brainer, as the two sides are currently negotiating the details of a contract, with no clarity yet on whether it will be a two-year deal or a three-year long term contract. With no sponsor to share the salary, Sao Paulo will be solely responsible for Oscar's salary as well as the waiver fee. In addition, the contract also contains some bonus clauses related to the team's championships and individual goals and assists.
Oscar started his journey in the Chinese Super League in January 2017 when he joined Shanghai Seaport from Chelsea for a transfer fee of €60 million. During his years at Shanghai Seaport, he made a total of 248 appearances, scoring 77 goals and contributing 141 assists, helping the team win the Chinese Super League title three times (2018, 2023, 2024) as well as one FA Cup title (2024). This transfer can also be seen as a journey back to his homeland.
Oscar, 33, is 1.80 meters tall and is active as a right-footed player up front. He is valued at around €4 million in the German transfer market. This season, his performance in the midfield line has been exceptional, scoring 14 goals and contributing 21 assists in 29 games, with the 21 assists setting a new single-season record for assists in the Chinese Super League.
Oscar reportedly earns a whopping 24 million euros a year and has accumulated about 160 million euros (about 1.226 billion yuan) in his seven-year career. Despite his lucrative earnings, Oscar has always been known for his dedication and strength. Shanghai Seaport had offered him an annual contract extension of US$3 million before tax, but the huge difference in earnings made his path to the future clear.
Goodbye to Oscar, the shining star of the Chinese Super League!
