New Chelsea transfer target may push Oscar out
Chelsea’s chase of Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic could signal an end to Oscar’s time at Stamford Bridge
Most expect significant roster change no matter who Chelsea hires as their next manager. If the Blues are able to bring in Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic then Brazilian attacker Oscar would be wise to start packing his bags.
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The Times reports that Chelsea representatives have already reached out to both Roma and their star midfielder about a potential summer move. It’s been revealed that Pjanic’s contract contains a release clause of just over 30 million pounds. That sum wouldn’t be enough to cause Chelsea to hesitate for a moment.
It’s thought that current Italian national team manager Antonio Conte is set to become the next boss at Stamford Bridge and he’s identified Pjanic as his first-choice midfield target. The Bosnian midfielder is in terrific form for Roma this season and leads the club in both goals and assists. He’s been a rumored target for numerous Premier League clubs in the past, but Chelsea appear to have taken the lead for his services.
His arrival at Stamford Bridge would be bad news for Oscar. The two players would seem to occupy the same position in Conte’s setup, and Pjanic certainly appears to be the preferred option. Both players make their living with their passing and creativity, while neither is known to be all that much of an enthusiastic defender. It would be quite difficult to play them both at the same time given their struggles in the defensive half.
The writing seems to be on the wall for the 24-year-old Brazilian. He’s suffered through a really poor season at Chelsea both in the Mourinho and Hiddink eras. He’s only managed to contribute three goals and two assists in 21 Premier League appearances including 17 starts. His meager Whoscored.com player rating of 6.82 doesn’t illustrate much contribution outside of those statistics either.
Chelsea would be wise to move Oscar before his value truly begins to take a nose dive. His dip in form this season can easily be explained away due to the upheaval at the club. After all, it’s not as if he hasn’t had plenty of company with his struggles at Stamford Bridge. Teammate Eden Hazard has been a disaster this season and still is the target of gigantic transfer interest from abroad. There’s no reason the Blues couldn’t receive a healthy fee for Oscar as well.
Brazilian attackers may not be the en vogue commodity they were in years past, but they still fetch a healthy sum on the open market. If nothing else, Chelsea could find Oscar a lucrative deal in China that would allow him to join several of his countrymen. Such a move would likely be wildly profitable for both the club and player.
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Chelsea fans can look forward to a boatload of new signings in the summer, but it won’t happen without the loss of some familiar faces. Miralem Pjanic would be a welcome boost to the club’s struggling attack, but it would almost certainly mean waving goodbye to Oscar.