Chelsea are reportedly about to make one of their biggest sales ever as Oscar prepares to sign a deal that would make the Blues £50million richer. Oscar moving to China is somewhat surprising given the fact that the midfielder is pretty young and could still stay in Europe. He would not get the kind of money the Chinese league is ready to pay as rumours have it André Villas-Boas has convinced his current club to pay Oscar the same salary Ronaldo and Messi are making.
Conte spoke about the dangers footballers face if they do decide to leave for China:
“The Chinese market is a danger for all,” said Conte.
“Not only for Chelsea, but all the teams in the world. But I think we must concentrate on our work, not think that in China there is a lot of money and they can arrive to take the players there.
“Oscar is a really good player. I was very proud to have him in my squad and to have him as my player. I’m proud of his attitude, his commitment and his behaviour, which have been fantastic, and I have great respect for every decision made by a single player. But if you ask me: ‘Are you sorry?’ then yes, I am sorry to see him leave because a really good player, and a really good man, is leaving the club. I must be honest about this. But also, I understand his decision.”
The Italian boss also pointed out the fact that the money offered by Chinese clubs will make anyone think twice. As reported by the Guardian Conte went on to say:
“For sure, you might think about it for one second, or 10 seconds but it’s very difficult not to think about it at all. Especially if the offer is amazing. And, for sure, this market is an incredible market. It’s a great opportunity for all: for the coaches, also, not only for the players, because they are offering a lot of money.
“For this reason, I can understand if some players say yes. Sometimes it’s very difficult to face this situation. But I think, also, that we are in the best league. Now, to arrive in the Premier League is a great opportunity for players and for coaches, to fight for the title against fantastic players and coaches. England is the best league in the world if you have ambition to test yourself against the other teams with this reality. To play in this league is a great opportunity, and an honor. It’s the best league in the world to play.”
With Oscar’s transfer looking like a done deal, it remains to be seen if Chelsea will quickly re-invest the money they receive. Apparently, the Brazilian’s transfer could precipitate the Blues finally making an offer for Real Madrid outcast James Rodriquez who has been struggling since joining the Spanish side. Seeing Moses, Costa, Alonso, Hazard and Matic grow under Conte, it’s safe to say the Italian boss could help James do the same. Rumors say that Real are asking around £75m which seems a bit steep but we know if Chelsea want to acquire the player they are willing to do big transactions in the winter transfer window as the Fernando Torres and Nemanja Matic transfers were also completed in January in years gone by.