Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar may be forced into retirement after collapsing during a training session due to heart problems, according to reports from his home country, Brazil. Oscar last played for Sao Paulo in August against Corinthians, where he sustained a fractured vertebrae just 20 minutes into the game. Since then, he has only made the bench twice.
The 34-year-old reportedly fell ill while using an exercise bike during Tuesday’s training session and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Oscar has been keeping an eye on a cardiac issue for several months after abnormalities were detected during tests for his fracture. Global Esporte claims that the hospital questioned Sao Paulo about this at the time, but the midfielder was deemed fit enough to continue playing.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Sao Paulo revealed that Oscar “presented an incident with cardiological changes” and was “promptly attended to by the club’s professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita.”
They further stated: “The player was then taken to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition and remains under observation for further tests to clarify the diagnosis. As per standard procedure and respecting the player’s privacy, further information will be released as soon as there is an update from the medical team, in agreement with Oscar.”
Oscar returned to Brazil by signing a three-year contract with Sao Paulo, the club where he began his career before making a move to Stamford Bridge in 2012. The midfielder expressed his delight at returning ‘home’ when he made the move in December last year.
After joining Chelsea on the back of their Champions League win, Oscar went on to clinch the Premier League title under the management of Jose Mourinho three years later.
However, he left the west London club in a surprising £60million transfer to Shanghai Port in 2016, a move that was criticised by then-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, during a period when the Chinese Super League was splashing out massive amounts on high-profile players.
Oscar enjoyed a successful stint with Shanghai Port, winning the CSL title thrice and also securing the Chinese FA Cup and Super Cup. He reportedly earned a staggering £400,000-a-week salary during his time there.
The Brazilian netted 77 goals and provided 141 assists in 248 appearances for the club.