Exclusive: São Paulo dispute Oscar release, review ex-midfielder’s demand | OneFootball

One of the most discussed topics by São Paulo’s new president, Harry Massis Júnior, with the professional football staff has been the progress of negotiations for the termination of the contract of attacking midfielder Oscar, who did not report back for this season and has not yet officially announced his retirement precisely because he has not reached an agreement with the Morumbi club regarding amounts still owed to him under a contract that runs until the end of 2027.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR has learned, Massis wants more speed in the process. Upon receiving São Paulo’s financial statements from CEO Márcio Carlomagno, the president and his allies noticed that determining how much Oscar will cost the club monthly is crucial to define how much cash will be consumed and how much the club can invest in the squad for the rest of the year.

Massis’s demands fall mainly on the legal and financial departments, since the saga over the termination of the former number 8’s contract seems far from a resolution. In fact, at this moment both 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 presided over by Julio Casares, Oscar showed willingness to split the amount into more than 24 monthly installments. But the Morumbi club contested the value. Since then, the legal and financial departments have been combing through the contract and accounts to confirm or dispute the amount.

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

The opening given by the former president, however, was ignored at the request of the former number 8, who does not want fights or conflicts and accepted the deadline for the internal audit to know São Paulo’s answer.

In fact, also at Oscar’s instruction to his lawyers, there is consensus so far between the parties that the attacking midfielder and the club will simply terminate the contract amicably, meaning no penalty payment from either side. He will also waive any amounts he would be entitled to receive from this month onward for the remainder of the contract.

FAMILY PRESSURE

The decision to hang up his boots came from Oscar after he suffered a vasovagal syncope on November 11.

At first, Oscar would return to work only when the squad reconvened for the 2026 pre-season. But São Paulo’s management maintains the position of leaving the decision of when and how to return to training in his hands.

This would also give the number 8 more time to decide whether or not to retire, as his family wishes.

Oscar was hospitalized in a hospital in the west zone of São Paulo after experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during tests at the Barra Funda training center. Oscar even fainted and lost consciousness during a physical evaluation.

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

After the scare, there is consensus within Tricolor that there is no rush or pressure for the midfielder’s return. Oscar will be away from work as long as he deems necessary and will have the club’s full support in his decision.

The same applies to his future. São Paulo’s directors have not brought up the subject of retirement with the number 8 at any time. Officially or not, the stance is the same: Oscar has a contract until the end of 2027, the priority now is his recovery, both physical and emotional, and the decision is strictly personal.

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

“He has two more years on his contract and we will give him as much time as 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 is no reason for any discussion beyond that. Above all, we respect what Oscar means and his importance to São Paulo,” said a source from São Paulo’s football management to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, who asked 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 for this report indicate that the family’s request is for him to retire. But the subject has not been discussed further since he was discharged, as a way not to pressure him.

THE ILLNESS

Vasovagal syncope is a common fainting episode caused by an exaggerated reaction of the vagus nerve to a trigger, such as standing for a long time, emotional stress, seeing blood, physical exertion, or feeling hot. This causes a temporary drop in heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in loss of consciousness. Warning signs may include weakness, paleness, sweating, dizziness, and nausea.

Considered a problem that is usually easy to treat, doctors prescribe lifestyle changes, such as improving hydration, moderating salt intake, avoiding long periods without meals, avoiding emotional triggers, and even wearing compression stockings to help with blood circulation. Medication is only given in severe cases.

The worrying aspect, from Oscar’s professional point of view, is that there is a medical recommendation not to stand for long periods during recovery. In other words, simply put, the midfielder is barred from training or performing his profession for a period after being discharged.

“Obviously I don’t know the case in detail, but from a distance, considering Oscar’s profession, the recommendation is prolonged rest with short periods of physical activity in the first few months. But more detailed tests would be needed to know if circulation is affected,” cardiologist Ricardo Neves, professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul and member of the South Mato Grosso Academy of Medicine, explained to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR.

In the bulletin released by the Morumbi club, it is stated that Oscar will undergo an electrophysiological study. Neves explains that the result will be decisive in knowing whether the player can return to physical activities in a short period of time.

“This is not associated with the continuation or not of his career, but rather with a short-term return to training and matches. It’s important to highlight this,” Neves added.

Also according to the cardiologist, it is a circulatory problem, which does not have a direct impact on the heart itself. “It does not mean that the person has heart failure or another cardiac problem that would prevent them from living their life normally,” he pointed out.

PLAYER REASSURES FANS

Attacking midfielder Oscar spoke out for the first time after being hospitalized on Tuesday (11) 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 many messages of support from São Paulo fans and even from supporters of other clubs. Fans of Internacional, the club he also played for in Brazil, even posted videos praying for the player’s recovery.

Reassured by the management, who visited Oscar during 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 cleared and officially announce his retirement.

The information was confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by three sources: one from São Paulo’s top football management and two close to the 34-year-old player, who has not played since the win 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 assess a fracture in three lumbar vertebrae, which revealed heart problems. At that time, at Oscar’s own request, the case was not disclosed, becoming information shared off the record by doctors and only spread by São Paulo influencer pages.

Meanwhile, Oscar continued 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 understand his case first before making a decision. Shaken by the criticism from fans, questions about his high salary, and reassured by tests indicating clinical improvement, 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 cause 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 THE DIFFICULTY OF REGAINING IDOL STATUS

As AMT revealed three weeks ago, the internal mood 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 Copa Libertadores.

Even before the new injury, there was already internal caution at Morumbi regarding their player. Oscar has not played for Tricolor since the win over Corinthians at Morumbi on July 19 in the Brazilian Championship. On that occasion, the midfielder suffered a fracture in 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 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 beginning of the year. This equals the total number of injuries he had in the 12 years he spent abroad, between 2012 and 2024, at Chelsea in England and Shanghai Port in China.

Adding the four previous injuries, the number 8 spent 175 days recovering, available for 30 of the 57 matches played by the club this season. He played 23 times, 19 as a starter and only nine for 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 the exact value of his 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, except perhaps if the contract were for a newly promoted youth player.

And this sparks internal debates at Morumbi. As AMT has learned, there are quite a few people close to president Julio Casares who support the idea of an amicable termination with the player for next year, easing the payroll. The subject, however, is being avoided for now by the football management.

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, where other players also have such incidents. 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 this gives us confidence that the renewal with Superbet also helped bring Oscar in. I believe Oscar’s arrival was highly responsible, as have all our signings been. Obviously, some don’t work out immediately. The less obvious ones work out over time, like the case of Marcos Antonio. Signings are subjective. Time’s dynamics answer the question of successes and failures, which sometimes depend on other factors,” the president continued.

Oscar has become the portrait 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 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.