At last, it's done! Oscar ‘sees sense’ and ends São Paulo deal | OneFootball

At last, the tragic soap opera between São Paulo and Oscar is over. After a very turbulent start, when the still-young attacking midfielder left the club after terminating his contract in court to join Internacional, he returned—much to the displeasure of many fans—and barely played. Now, he has reached an agreement with Tricolor and has finally signed his contract termination.

The agreement between the parties was confirmed through the CBF’s BID, which published the former São Paulo No. 8’s termination with the club that developed him on Thursday night (2).

AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned that the deal provides for the payment of around R$10 million to the player, a figure far below the R$60 million that had been due through December 2027, when his contract would have expired.

A WAKE-UP CALL

The difference is explained by the midfielder’s own decision to give up a significant part of what he was owed, choosing to consider only the period through November of last year, when he suffered a medical episode during tests at CT da Barra Funda, later diagnosed as vasovagal syncope.

Which seems only fair. The ones fighting for the higher amounts were those managing Oscar’s career, who insisted on the right to receive in full what was set out in the contract, valid through the end of 2027 and estimated at around R$53 million.

THE CASE

One of the most discussed issues by São Paulo’s new president, Harry Massis Júnior, with the professional football staff was the progress of negotiations to terminate attacking midfielder Oscar’s contract. He did not report back for this season and has only not officially announced his retirement yet precisely because he had not reached an agreement with the Morumbi club over the amounts he is still owed under the contract that runs through the end of 2027.

According to what AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, Massis wanted more speed in the process. After receiving São Paulo’s accounts from CEO Márcio Carlomagno, the president and his allies noted that defining how much Oscar will cost the club monthly is essential to determine how much cash flow will be consumed and how much the club will be able to invest in the squad for the rest of the year.

Massis’ pressure falls mainly on the legal and financial departments, since the soap opera over the former No. 8’s termination still seems far from a resolution. In fact, at this moment the two sides have disagreements on the matter.

AMT has already revealed that, according to Oscar and his staff’s calculations, São Paulo owes him approximately R$62 million, including parts of salary, image rights, and signing bonuses.

In at least three meetings held since December, all while Tricolor was still chaired by Julio Casares, Oscar showed willingness to split the amount into more than 24 monthly installments. But the Morumbi club disputed the figure. Since then, the legal and financial departments have been combing through the contract and the accounts to verify whether the amount is correct.

The midfielder’s lawyers argue that Casares may have acknowledged the debt when he suggested that Oscar receive the installments as salary in a possible managerial internship he would undertake in Cotia. Oscar wants to stay in football after retiring, and it would be a way to remain at São Paulo while preparing for the new role.

The opening left by the former president, however, was ignored at the request of the former No. 8, who does not want fights or conflicts and accepted the timeframe of the internal audit to hear São Paulo’s response.

In fact, also at Oscar’s instruction to his lawyers, there is so far a consensus between the parties that the attacking midfielder and the club will simply terminate the contract amicably—that is, with no penalty payment by either side. And that he will give up what he would have been entitled to receive from this month onward for the remainder of the deal.

FAMILY PRESSURE

Oscar’s decision to hang up his boots came after he suffered vasovagal syncope on November 11.

At first, Oscar would only return to work when the squad reconvened for the 2026 preseason. But São Paulo’s board has maintained its position of leaving in his hands the decision of when and how to return to training.

It would also give the No. 8 more time to decide whether or not to retire, as his family wants.

Oscar was hospitalized in the western part of the city of São Paulo after suffering a complication with cardiac changes during tests carried out at CT da Barra Funda. Oscar even fainted and lost consciousness during physical assessment activity.

An extensive investigation carried out at the hospital confirmed that the player had an episode of vasovagal syncope. Stable and clinically well throughout the hospitalization period, the athlete is following a medical rest program over the next few days.

After the scare, there is a consensus within Tricolor that there is no rush or pressure of any kind for the midfielder’s return. Oscar will stay away from activities for as long as he feels necessary and will have the club’s full support in his decision.

The same goes for the future. São Paulo officials have not brought up the subject of ending his career with the No. 8 at any point. Officially or not, the stance is the same: Oscar has a contract through the end of 2027, the priority now is his recovery, not only physically but emotionally as well, and the decision is strictly personal.

From São Paulo’s side, the order is to continue contractually as things stand, with no changes to clauses or amounts.

“He has two more years on his contract and we will give him whatever time is necessary for his recovery and for him to think about what is best for him. The important thing is that it was nothing serious and he is already with his family. Our priority is to see him well. There are no reasons for any discussion beyond that. Above all, we respect what Oscar means and his importance to São Paulo,” a source from the top of São Paulo’s football department told AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, asking not to be identified.

Signed at the start of the season, Oscar has two goals and five assists in the 21 matches he played for São Paulo. Sources close to the player consulted by the report indicate that his family’s request is for him to hang up his boots. But the subject has not been discussed again since he was discharged, partly as a way of not putting pressure on him.

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