This week brought us some very unexpected transfer news. While it is true that there were rumors that Oscar will be leaving, no one thought he would actually go to China. If you could understand players like Hulk, Alex Teixeira or Jackson Martinez who had not played in the Premier League or much in the Champions League, it is hard to understand why Oscar agreed to join Shanghai SIPG. Money shouldn’t have been the main reason behind his choice. He could have earned a plenty everywhere he could have gone but perhaps the fact that he has not featured much under Antonio Conte and the fact that he received a massive money offer from China meant that he found the offer too good to turn down. There were rumors of him joining Juventus, Roma and many other clubs but ultimately he chose the Chinese Super League which may start to become more of a pressure for Premier League clubs to deal with in the future.
Looking at what he posted on his Instagram account he will probably never return to the Premier League which is a loss for English football:
“I want to thank Chelsea FC the owner and all the employees who have made my time at the club so special.”
“A very special thank you to the Chelsea fans you guys a very special and I am honored to have been a part of your club we have won some special titles together the UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE, the LEAGUE CUP and of course PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!!!”
“You will always have a special place in my heart”.
Speaking of departures, it looks like Oscar is not the only one who will wear a different badge on his chest next year. According to Metro, John Obi Mikel will leave as well in order to get more time on the pitch. His agent stated that there are offers from all around the world, including China. If for some reason, Mikel also agrees to leave for Asia, Chelsea will have to figure out what to do with around £60million plus the fee for Mikel this January. Luckily it looks like there are a lot of big names becoming available with James Rodriguez and Payet topping the list. Then there’s Veratti, van Dijk or even Ross Barkley. It remains to be seen where the money will go. One thing is for sure, Chelsea have the financial balance (required by FIFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations) and the funds to bring in almost anyone they want.