São Paulo must settle R$62 million debt to finalise Oscar’s release | OneFootball

The much-publicized termination between Oscar and São Paulo may not be as amicable as has been reported. This is because the club still owes a debt of around R$ 62 million to the 34-year-old player, who has been hospitalized since last Tuesday (11th) after experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during physical tests at the Barra Funda training center.

The amount, as found by AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, includes overdue salaries, image rights, and signing bonuses that are either late or still need to be settled with the attacking midfielder.

According to sources consulted by the report, if Oscar does decide to end his career, as requested by his family, São Paulo’s plan is to offer a deduction of part of the amount and to pay the remaining sum in installments.

Oscar is the third highest-paid player in Brazilian football, behind only Corinthians’ Memphis Depay and Santos’ Neymar. His years in China, where he was among the ten highest-paid athletes in the world, earned him an estimated fortune of over R$ 1 billion. In other words, if he decides to retire, money will not be an issue.

“But let’s stay calm, this is not the time to talk about money. The important thing is his recovery,” said one of the people interviewed by AMT.

Oscar remains hospitalized and underwent further tests throughout the day. The midfielder had an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and a neck ultrasound, all part of the investigation protocol to understand the causes of the fainting episode that occurred while he was exercising on a stationary bike.

Additionally, the number 8 remains monitored by a Holter exam, which checks heart rhythm. So far, no anomaly has been identified, and the player is expected to be discharged by Friday (13th), as his condition is stable.

This does not mean, however, that Oscar will be able to return to training or other activities at Barra Funda with the rest of the squad. As a precaution, he will likely be given a few days of rest.

PLAYER REASSURES FANS

The attacking midfielder Oscar spoke out for the first time after being hospitalized on Tuesday (11th) for experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during São Paulo’s physical tests at the Barra Funda training center.

Through his social media, the number 8 sought to reassure fans and supporters, who were anxious about the news.

“Thank you very much for the messages and prayers. Everything will be fine, God willing,” he wrote.

Since the news of his hospitalization broke, Oscar has received numerous messages of support from São Paulo fans and even from supporters of other clubs. Internacional fans, a club he also played for in Brazil, even posted videos praying for the player’s recovery.

Reassured by the club’s management, who visited Oscar throughout Tuesday, São Paulo players are expected to visit their teammate at the hospital this afternoon. According to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, Oscar even made a video call with all the players, who were deeply concerned about what happened.

THE CASE

Hospitalized in a São Paulo hospital after suffering a complication with cardiac alterations, midfielder Oscar is expected to terminate his contract with São Paulo after being medically discharged and to officially announce his retirement.

The information was confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by three sources: one from the top management of São Paulo football and two close to the 34-year-old player, who has not played since the victory over Corinthians in the Brazilian Championship on July 19.

According to AMT, it was right after that match that the number 8 underwent tests to evaluate a fracture of three lumbar vertebrae, which revealed heart problems. At that time, at Oscar’s own request, the case was not made public, becoming information shared off the record by doctors and only spread by São Paulo influencer pages.

Meanwhile, Oscar followed a routine of monitoring tests that indicated improvement in his clinical condition and allowed him to be cleared for activities with the squad. But the number 8 ended up getting injured again, suffering a muscle injury in his left calf.

Oscar then consulted Hernán Crespo’s staff to understand the next steps. He was advised to first understand his case before making a decision. Upset by criticism from fans, questions about his high salary, and reassured by exams indicating improvement in his clinical situation, the number 8 then gave up on his family’s request for him to retire.

This morning, however, Oscar fainted during physical tests and left the Barra Funda training center by ambulance. The incident shocked everyone present, from players to staff.

The number 8 remains hospitalized awaiting test results that will allow doctors to determine the origin of the cardiac alteration. But his condition is stable.

As per usual procedure and respecting the player’s privacy, new information will be released as soon as there is an update from the medical team, in agreement with Oscar.

THE NUMBER 8’S BAD LUCK AND DIFFICULTY REGAINING IDOL STATUS

As AMT revealed three weeks ago, the internal atmosphere at São Paulo was already pessimistic about Oscar’s contribution to the team in this final stretch of the Brazilian Championship, in which the team is fighting for a spot in the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.

Even before the new injury, the Morumbi club had internal caution regarding their player. Oscar has not played for Tricolor since the victory over Corinthians at Morumbi on July 19 in the Brazilian Championship. On that occasion, the midfielder suffered a fracture of three lumbar vertebrae and missed 16 matches while recovering from the injury.

In the last two games, the number 8 was listed by coach Hernán Crespo but ended up not playing, still lacking better physical condition. It’s yet another chapter in the history of disappointments for the attacking midfielder in his return to São Paulo after 15 years.

In practical and absolute numbers, Oscar suffered his fifth injury since the start of the year. This equals the total number of injuries he had in the 12 years he spent abroad, between 2012 and 2024, playing for Chelsea in England and Shanghai Port in China.

Adding the four previous injuries, the number 8 spent 175 days recovering, being available for 30 out of 57 matches played by the club this season. He made 23 appearances, 19 as a starter and only nine playing the full ninety minutes. In total, he spent 1,591 minutes on the field, equivalent to 31% of the team’s total playing time.

This is such a low rate that any debate about his exact salary becomes irrelevant: it doesn’t matter if it’s closer to one million reais or three million, the cost-benefit is poor in any scenario—unless, perhaps, the contract was for a newly promoted youth player.

And it sparks internal debates at Morumbi. As AMT found out, there are quite a few people close to president Julio Casares who support the idea of seeking an amicable termination with the player for next year, easing the wage bill. The matter, however, is currently avoided by the football board.

In a press conference, Casares believes that Oscar’s signing, under the terms agreed, was done responsibly. São Paulo shares the responsibility of paying the player’s salary with Superbet, the club’s main sponsor.

“I believe that Oscar, like other players, was a responsible signing. When Oscar chose São Paulo, he was being pursued by two other major clubs in Brazil. The fact that he got injured is part of the sporting landscape, as other players also experience such complications. We hope he will be in our squad recovering and can bring the joy for which he was signed,” he said.

“He was signed with a partnership in which a little less than half was contributed by the sponsor. All of this assures us that the renewal with Superbet also helped bring Oscar in. I believe Oscar’s arrival was highly responsible, as have all our signings. Obviously, some don’t work out immediately. The less obvious ones happen over time, like Marcos Antonio. Signings are subjective. Time’s dynamics answer the question of hits and misses, which sometimes depend on other factors,” the president continued.

Oscar has become the symbol of what São Paulo swore to avoid: high investment and low return from names that symbolize the past. The recent history of players returning from China already indicated the risk: Alexandre Pato, Éder Citadini, Hernanes, and Miranda all had spells with performances well below expectations—and of these, only Pato escaped frequent injuries.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.