Oscar played for Chelsea from 2012 until 2017 (Image: Getty)
Former Chelsea star Oscar has been raking in the cash since his unexpected departure from the Premier League in January 2017. The Brazilian ace, now 32, enjoyed a fruitful four-and-a-half-year stint at Stamford Bridge, helping Chelsea clinch the Europa League under Rafa Benitez’s management.
The return of Jose Mourinho saw him add the League Cup and Premier League to his trophy cabinet. However, with Antonio Conte limiting his game time, Oscar made a surprising career move.
The attacking midfielder became the star signing for Shanghai Port, during a period when high-profile players were being lured to the Chinese Super League with lucrative offers. He remains one of the few big names left in the league, recently netting a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory over Cangzhou Mighty Lions.
In a similar vein to the Saudi Pro League’s recent efforts to attract top talent, Oscar was joined in China by ex-Chelsea team-mates Ricardo Carvalho, Ramires and Jon Obi Mikel, as well as fellow Brazilian Hulk, reports the Mirror.
Many more followed Oscar’s lead, with Yannick Carrasco and Javier Mascherano among those joining the league for the 2018 season. However, the influx of foreign stars was short-lived due to a rule change in 2019 that put a stop to the previously extravagant wages.
Fortunately for Oscar, he had just signed a five-year extension, reportedly pocketing £20m annually, before the drastic changes took effect.
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Oscar has been with Shanghai Port since 2017 (Image: Getty)
The Daily Mail reports that Oscar is raking in a staggering £400,000 weekly. With seven full seasons under his belt and the year 2024 approaching its midpoint, the Brazilian maestro’s total earnings at Shanghai Port have hit a colossal £154m.
“All football players want to earn money to help their families,” Oscar divulged to Copa90 back in 2017. “When I made the decision to come [to China], I was thinking more of my family than of my career.”
Oscar won the Premier League title with Chelsea on two occasions (Image: Getty)
Oscar’s switch to China may have enriched him but it put a dampner on his international career with Brazil, his last appearance for the national team being in 2015. Despite this, his silverware collection in China is relatively modest; he celebrated a league victory with Shanghai Port in 2018 and had to wait until the previous season to savour that triumph once again.
Shanghai Port are currently vying for the title once more. The club remain undefeated so far this season and are three points adrift of league leaders Shanghai Shenhua, who have played a game more.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1905493/chelsea-chinese-super-premier-league-net-worth