Chinese Super League can rival Premier League one day - Oscar

Posted Wednesday, January 11, 2017 by ESPN

Oscar said he is happy with his move to Shanghai SIPG and added that the Chinese Super League can one day rival the Premier League if overseas stars continue to be drawn to its ambitious and big spending clubs.

The 25-year-old left Chelsea earlier this month after the Premier League leaders agreed a club-record sale price of £60 million with Shanghai SIPG, who already boasted fellow Brazilians Hulk and Elkeson in their ranks and are coached by former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Chelsea have also allowed Ramires and John Obi Mikel to join the wave of recognisable names swapping European and South American clubs for the riches on offer in the Chinese Super League over the past year, and Antonio Conte last month described the spending as "a danger for all teams in the world."

Asked if the Chinese Super League could one day rival the Premier League, Oscar told Sky Sports: "If they continue in this way, maybe yes, because they have lots of good projects.

"Of course the Premier League [has higher] level of players in the world, but the Chinese guys are very good. They help the new players a lot, and I hope they continue this because I come to help.

"The transfer was good for me, good for Chelsea, good for Shanghai, and I'm so happy to come to the Chinese Super League.

"I think the Chinese clubs [spend] a lot of money for the players to go to China, to make the league stronger. They made me an offer and I'm very happy to come."

Shanghai SIPG are set to complete the signing of former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho in this transfer window, but last week a spokesman suggested that the Chinese government could take action to "regulate and restrain high-priced signings, and make reasonable restrictions on players' high incomes."