Ex-Chelsea striker Oscar says he saved £175m salary in China, lived of ‘huge’ match bonuses
Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar has revealed he saved his reported £175 million salary during his seven-year spell in China, saying he and his family lived entirely on match bonuses instead of his wages.
The former Brazil international made the revelation while speaking on The Obi One Podcast hosted by his former Chelsea teammate John Obi Mikel.
Oscar explains financial decision
The attacking midfielder said he chose to leave his salary untouched throughout his time with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port, relying instead on the substantial bonuses paid for appearances and results.
“I put my entire salary into a separate account and never touched it once,” Oscar said.
“My family and I lived off the match bonuses because they were already huge.”
Reports during his time in China suggested Oscar earned around £20 million per year after tax, with his total earnings estimated at about £175 million over seven years. Although the former Chelsea star disputed the overall figure, he confirmed that he never spent his salary during his stay.
Successful spell in China
Chelsea accepted a then club-record £60 million offer from Shanghai Port for Oscar in 2017, ending his five-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
The midfielder made 203 appearances for the Blues, scoring 38 goals and providing 31 assists while helping the club win two Premier League titles, the League Cup and the UEFA Europa League.
Oscar also enjoyed a successful spell in China, where he established himself as one of the league’s leading players.
He scored 77 goals and registered 142 assists in 248 appearances for Shanghai Port, winning three Chinese Super League titles and one Chinese FA Cup.
The Brazilian left the Chinese club in 2024 before returning to his boyhood club, Sao Paulo, in 2025.
He retired later that year at the age of 34, bringing to an end a career that included trophy-winning spells in Brazil, England and China.