Oscar, 25, left Chelsea to join Shanghai SIPG in a big-money move during the January transfer window. Speaking to reporters recently, the Brazilian midfielder has explained his reasons behind the decision to head to China.
“The financial aspect was important, but it’s not all about money. The city where you live is very important. I’m not going by myself, I have my wife and kids, so the city must be nice and Shanghai has all we need,” the 26-year-old said.
“I wasn’t playing that much for Chelsea recently as well. So when I heard about their interest I was just happy to go,” he added.
Oscar has been criticized for this move, with many stating the standard of football in China is much lower than in Europe. However, Oscar insisted he has thought long and hard before making his decision to head to the Far East.
The 25-year-old midfielder also admitted it was “very hard” to call time on his Stamford Bridge career.
“I played there for five years, I arrived as a young boy and experienced so many nice moments with the club. I have a lot of respect for the supporters and the club itself.”
“Beyond that, I knew people would be surprised to see a 25-year-old leaving the Premier League for Chinese football. But I can’t decide my life on what other people think,” he told reporters.