- Title: Brazil's Oscar arrives in Shanghai to join SIPG
- Date: 2nd January 2017
- Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (JANUARY 2, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 36-YEAR-OLD SHANGHAI SIPG FAN, DAI WENYA, SAYING: "I've only seen him (Oscar) on television and on computer screens. I'm so excited to meet him in person today standing just in front of me. It's a shame that I couldn't take a photo with him as it was a bit chaotic." FANS HOLDING BANNER AND STANDING SHANGHAI SIPG FOOTBALL CLUB BANNER (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 30-YEAR-OLD SHANGHAI SIPG FAN, SHAO LEI, SAYING: "I think (Oscar's joining) will definitely (help) enhance the team's capabilities. (SIPG Shanghai FC) still achieved a very good result last year even though foreign players got injured. Our team surely will improve a lot this year, thanks to no big changes (in the team) and the addition of foreign players. Our goal is to strive for the championship, nothing else." VARIOUS OF FANS HOLDING BANNER, CHEERING AND SINGING
- Embargoed: 17th January 2017 09:27
- Keywords: Oscar SIPG Brazil Shanghai soccer
- Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- City: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0025XE0G8V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Brazilian international midfielder Oscar dos Santos Eboaba Junior, better known as Oscar, arrived in Shanghai on Monday (January 2) after joining Chinese club Shanghai SIPG from Chelsea.
Although no financial details of the transfer were released, media reports suggested Shanghai paid 60 million euros ($62.63 million) to lure Oscar to the 16-team league.
The 25-year-old, who scored 38 goals in 203 appearances for Chelsea, had lifted the Premier League, League Cup and Europa League during his four-and-a-half-year spell at the club.
Oscar arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Monday morning and greeted over a hundred fans.
"I've only seen him (Oscar) on television and on computer screens. I'm so excited to meet him in person today standing just in front of me. It's a shame that I couldn't take a photo with him as it was a bit chaotic," said 36-year-old fan Dai Wenya said.
Oscar, who will link up with former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas at Shanghai, struggled to nail down a starting spot under manager Antonio Conte this season, making four of his nine league appearance from the bench.
With compatriots Hulk and Elkeson plying their trade at Shanghai, Oscar becomes the latest Brazilian to join the Chinese Super League team and is reportedly set to become the highest paid player, earning about 400,000 pounds a week ($490,760).
However, Oscar could soon be eclipsed by Carlos Tevez when the Argentinean puts pen to paper on a huge contract with Shanghai Shenhua, with the striker reportedly set to earn 615,000 pounds a week.
Shanghai SIPG finished third in the 2016 Chinese Super League season, which ran from March to the end of October, 12 points behind champions Guangzhou Evergrande and five behind second-placed Jiangsu Suning.
Fans expressed their confidence in SIPG with Oscar on board for the upcoming season.
"I think (Oscar's joining) will definitely (help) enhance the team's capabilities. (SIPG Shanghai FC) still achieved a very good result last year even though foreign players got injured. Our team surely will improve a lot this year, thanks to no big changes (in the team) and the addition of foreign players. Our goal is to strive for the championship, nothing else," said 30-year-old fan Shao Lei.
SIPG Shanghai Football Club said Oscar, along with the team, will fly to Doha on Tuesday (January 3) night to conduct winter training sessions. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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