Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior has revealed that he preserved his entire salary during his eight-year spell in China, choosing instead to support his family with the substantial match bonuses he earned at Shanghai Port.
Speaking with former Chelsea teammate John Obi Mikel on the OB1 podcast, the Brazilian addressed reports that he received approximately £150 million in wages between 2017 and 2024.
“I put my entire salary into a separate account and never touched it once,” Oscar said, explaining that his family’s expenses were covered by performance-related bonuses, which were already large enough to sustain a comfortable lifestyle.
The revelation provides fresh insight into the financial strategy behind one of football’s most controversial transfers and shows how Oscar converted a relatively short professional career into long-term financial security.
Oscar Prioritised Financial Security Over European Football
Oscar was only 25 and approaching the peak of his career when he left Chelsea for Shanghai Port, then known as Shanghai SIPG, in January 2017.
The Chinese club paid a transfer fee reported at between £52 million and £60 million, making the Brazilian one of the most expensive players to leave European football for the Chinese Super League.
His initial contract was reportedly worth approximately £400,000 per week, equivalent to more than £20 million annually. At the time, the deal placed him among the highest-paid footballers in the world.
Oscar later extended his stay for another five years on a contract reportedly worth €24 million per season. The extension was concluded before Chinese football authorities introduced a salary cap limiting the amount clubs could pay foreign players.
The midfielder never concealed the importance of money in his decision. Having grown up in difficult financial circumstances in Brazil, Oscar said he considered the long-term welfare of his family when evaluating the Chinese offer.
While the move reduced his visibility in European football and effectively brought his international career with Brazil to an end, it provided a level of financial security that would have been difficult to replicate elsewhere.
Salary Was Separated From Everyday Spending
Oscar’s strategy was built around separating guaranteed income from lifestyle expenses.
Instead of adjusting his family’s spending to match a salary of about £400,000 per week, he placed the wages in another account and relied on match bonuses for accommodation, travel and other expenses.
The value of those bonuses has not been disclosed. However, his comments indicate that Shanghai Port’s performance incentives were substantial enough to cover his family’s needs without requiring him to withdraw from his fixed salary.
The reported £150 million remains an estimate because Oscar’s contracts and banking arrangements are private. Variations in exchange rates, taxes and contract terms have also produced different calculations of his total earnings.
Nevertheless, the central point of his revelation remains significant: his principal earnings were reportedly protected while a secondary income stream funded his lifestyle.
For professional athletes whose earning periods can be unusually short, the approach highlights the importance of controlling lifestyle inflation and distinguishing between wealth accumulation and everyday consumption.
More Than a Financially Motivated Transfer
Oscar’s move to China was widely criticised as a decision to abandon elite football for money. However, his performances at Shanghai Port showed that he remained professionally committed throughout his stay.
He recorded 77 goals and 141 assists in 248 appearances across all competitions, becoming one of the most productive foreign players in Chinese football history.
Oscar helped Shanghai win its first Chinese Super League title in 2018, ending Guangzhou Evergrande’s seven-year dominance. He subsequently captained the club to further championships in 2023 and 2024.
The midfielder also helped Shanghai secure the Chinese FA Cup in 2024 and finished his final league season with 14 goals while leading the competition’s assist rankings.
Unlike several high-profile foreign players who spent brief periods in China before returning to Europe or South America, Oscar remained with Shanghai for eight seasons and became closely associated with the club’s most successful era.
The Professional Cost of the China Decision
The financial and domestic success came with a significant international cost.
Oscar had already represented Brazil 48 times, won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and played an important role at the 2014 World Cup before moving to China.
He did not represent the national team again after joining Shanghai, while his former Chelsea contemporaries continued competing in Europe’s leading leagues and major international tournaments.
Oscar had acknowledged that leaving Europe could remove him from the spotlight and weaken his chances of returning to the Brazilian national team. He ultimately accepted that trade-off as part of his decision to prioritise his family’s financial future.
Return to São Paulo Ended by Health Problems
After leaving Shanghai in December 2024, Oscar returned to São Paulo, the club where he began his professional career, on a three-year contract.
However, his homecoming was cut short by health problems. The midfielder was hospitalised following cardiac complications and was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope, a condition that can cause fainting after a sudden decline in heart rate and blood pressure.
Oscar subsequently terminated his contract and announced his retirement in April 2026 at the age of 34. Reuters reported that the agreement had originally been scheduled to run until 2027.
His early retirement further underlines the financial reasoning behind the decision he made at 25. A career that appeared capable of continuing for several more years was unexpectedly ended by circumstances outside his control.
Oscar’s story is therefore not merely about the extraordinary amount he earned in China. It illustrates how an athlete used a period of exceptional income to establish financial independence, protect his family and prepare for a future that arrived earlier than expected.
