Leaving Port: Oscar departs Shanghai

Brazilian midfielder Oscar celebrates with the league trophy amid cheering teammates after helping Shanghai Port complete a 5-0 rout of Tianjin to secure the 2024 Chinese Super League title in November. LI MINGSHEN / FOR CHINA DAILY Hailing the fervent fan support and quality of life in Shanghai, former Brazil international Oscar has ended his eight-year stint in China's top-flight with mixed feelings, after confirming his return to hometown club Sao Paulo. Oscar, a former Chelsea midfielder and a member of Brazil's 2014 World Cup squad, has rejoined his boyhood club in southeastern Brazil on a free transfer, announced by Sao Paulo president Julio Casares on Tuesday, after playing eight seasons in the Chinese Super League with reigning champion Shanghai Port FC. The attacking midfielder reportedly earned the world's third-highest annual salary — 24 million euros — from his Chinese club, with his earnings exempted from a CSL salary cap of 3 million euros for each import imposed by the Chinese Football Association in 2020, just a year after he signed a contract extension with Shanghai Port.