Chelsea midfielder Oscar recently revealed he has been in contact with French champions Paris Saint-Germain, and the Blues can't afford to lose yet another Brazilian international to PSG.
Oscar told L'Equipe (via Sky Sports' Graeme Bailey) the contacts were minor while pledging his allegiance to his current club, Chelsea:
"I had contacts with PSG, that is true, but it did not go any further. And next season, I will stay at Chelsea."
The midfielder would be the second Blues player to cross the English Channel should a move materialise, with David Luiz joining PSG earlier in the summer transfer window, per Bailey.
Oscar's statement that he has no intention of leaving Chelsea seems clear, but as we've seen in the past, such a message is by no means a guarantee. PSG don't concern themselves with financial fair play regulations, and they have a tendency of getting what they want.
For Jose Mourinho, hearing your player has been in contact with the French outfit can't be pleasant, even if he stated he's staying. The contacts were there—and for a reason.
The 22-year-old had a solid season for the club in 2013-14, although there was a dip in his performances toward the end of the campaign. Per WhoScored.com, he appeared in a total of 43 Premier League and Champions League matches for Chelsea, indicating the team trusts him enough to be a full-time starter.
His play for the Brazilian national team during the 2014 World Cup has been excellent, and considering the fact he's only 22 years old, PSG's interest in the player is understandable.
Oscar isn't still growing as a player—he's still growing as a man. He's not even remotely close to his ceiling as a player yet, and with so much room left for improvement, he has the potential to be one of Chelsea's top performers for years to come.
His versatility as an attacking midfielder is vital to Chelsea's offensive tactics. Like team-mate Eden Hazard, he can be a threat cutting inside from the wing, but he's equally adept at playing just behind the striker in a central role.
The constant switching of flanks with Hazard is something every defender would have trouble dealing with, and because the two players can swap roles at any time, it's almost impossible to man-mark either of them.
PSG aren't exactly short of quality options in midfield, with compatriot Lucas Moura even finding it hard to crack the team's starting XI. If they've identified Oscar as their next transfer target, it's because they believe he can continue his development and outshine the players they already have.
With Cesc Fabregas joining the Blues, it's understandable why Oscar would listen to PSG's pitch. Per Goal's Wayne Veysey, Mourinho promised the Spaniard a starting position as part of his move to Chelsea:
On paper, Fabregas is in direct competition with Oscar, who has mixed moments of magic with some mediocre displays during his two seasons at the club.Intriguingly, Jose Mourinho is believed to have assured Fabregas of a regular starting role, with the Spaniard earmarked for the playmaker role behind imminent striker signing Diego Costa.
Now is the time for Mourinho to make sure Oscar knows his future at the club is still very bright. Chelsea can't risk one of their top young stars growing unsettled over the idea he might have to give up his spot to a new arrival, because a move to PSG will only become more appealing.
Oscar's long-term potential is too great for Chelsea to just give up on a player who has performed quite well in his first few seasons at the club. And unlike Fabregas, the youngster's best days on the pitch are still ahead of him.
The Brazilian sounds like he's ready to fight for his spot in the starting XI, but it can't hurt to let him know his manager still appreciates him. For should Oscar decide he'd rather play his football somewhere else, it could be a mistake that would haunt the Blues for years.
Source: Bleacher Report
By Gianni Verschueren
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