FORMER CHELSEA ATTACKING midfielder Oscar has admitted that his shock move to Shanghai back in January was influenced by a need to provide for his family as opposed to the progression of his footballing career.
The Brazil international made the surprising switch from Premier League to the Chinese Super League for a reported £60m near the peak of his powers, aged 25, in a move which was roundly criticised by purists who deemed the playmaker greedy.
Having only recently turned 26, Oscar remains hopeful that he can emulate international team-mate Paulinho in securing a move back to a major European club in a couple of years’ time, and believes he’s young enough to make his mark on European football in due course.
“Every football player, or every person who works, wants to earn money to help their families,” he told Copa 90 in a video interview produced by Rabona Magazine. “I came from a social background in Brazil that is very poor.
“All the foreign players who come here are at a really high level. China has incredible financial power and sometimes makes offers that players can’t refuse.
I hope that in two or three years’ time – or when my contract here ends and I have helped the team to win titles – I could go back to a big team in Europe. Because what I like most is to play at a high level.
Oscar continued: “When I was talking with Shanghai, I was talking to big clubs from Europe as well. There was Atlético Madrid, who I almost joined. I liked them very much and what they were offering me at that time. There was also Juventus, Inter and AC Milan. I had some options but I opted for Shanghai.
“Afterwards I can still return to Europe. When I made the decision to come here, I was thinking more of my family than of my career. I had other very good offers from big teams in Europe. But I thought a little more of my family, and after that – I am still young – I can return.”
You can view his interview in full below, courtesy of Copa 90.
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He is 100% Correct.Earn it while you can old boy.
I really feel for the guy, must have been really tough for him financially being at Chelsea and not bring able to provide for his family on £100k a week……
He now realises that he is totally in the land of the forgotten in football terms, my heart bleeds for the lad!!!
@Hotshot Hamish: Begrudgery is a human flaw. Cheer up.
@Nollaig Elliot: ?????????
I moved to the states because I could almost triple my income
@Drew Walsh: were you making over a 100,000 a week before you moved? It was pure greed, him not you.
@Mick Power: whats the view like from that high horse? If you had an asset that allowed you to either give yourself, your family and your kids a great life, or give your extended family, friends, and your kids and their kids etc an extraordinary life, what would you pick? 2 million after tax a year or 10 million a year.. I know what I’d pick. The chaps knee could Give in for good next year for all he knows sure. Then what.
Lads if a Chinese company offered you triple or quadruple would ye turn it down? Even if you had at most 12 years left in your profession?
@Hardly Normal: where do I sign
@Jamie: judging by your usually comments, I’d say your local social welfare office.
@Jamie: ahhhh I totally understand your problems with the GAA now Jamie! Haha….all makes sense now.
The lads is entitled play anywhere he wants and earn all the money he can, while he can. Also he has nothing to answer in terms of loyalty to Chelsea or the PL… However, the argument about providing for his family is hard to listen to, when he was earning more in a few months in wages alone than most people earn in a lifetime.
@Johnny 5: That may be true but a study showed 3/5 Premier League footballers go bankrupt after retiring so maybe earning all he can, while he can might not be the worst idea.
There’s as much salt here in the comments as in the Atlantic. Why would anyone else care how much another person makes? Surely you’d just be concerned about how much you make for your own family.
At least he is earning it while at the top of his game
100k at Chelsea and can’t look after his family surely means all of us are f****d
Fair play to him coming out & saying what everyone else knew. The icing on the cake would be be for Jose to get him back at end of next season.