Could Oscar be Chelsea’s next big money signing?

As Chelsea continue the overhaul of their ageing squad by signing some of the world’s freshest young talents, each new day brings more speculation as to who will be next to join the likes of Marko Marin and Eden Hazard.

There’s been a lot of talk in recent weeks regarding international starlet Oscar. One of the next breed of Brazilian superstars, Oscar is a highly rated playmaker who is often mentioned in the same breath as Santos Neymar, a player touted to be a future Ballon D’or winner. Of course with a player held in such high regard comes a hefty price tag, in this case £25 million, but fortunately for Chelsea Roman Abramovich’s pockets are deep and it appears Champions League success has re-lit his fire for big investment in the club.

Reports this week suggested Oscar had undergone a medical at Chelsea preceding his national side’s 2-0 victory against Team GB at the Riverside on Friday. The player didn’t quite confirm this, although he has admitted to meeting with a Chelsea doctor. This encounter certainly adds fuel to the fire that a deal won’t be far off; however, the player says a decision won’t be made on his future until after the games, which judging by the Brazil victory will mean waiting until the 11^th August, the gold medal match.

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior has been branded a wonder-kid, a player who can create opportunities with the type of Brazilian flair we’ve come to expect from the world’s most successful footballing nation. He also poses a significant goal threat, as his hat-trick in the Under 20’s World Cup final proved and will be the type of player that should bring the very best out of a born again Fernando Torres.

Against Team GB he gave a mature and impressive performance, dominating possession in the centre of midfield, causing Team GB big problems. His passing ability was there for all to see, and if you’re a Chelsea fan the new season can’t come soon enough. If Oscar himself is to be believed all Brazilian kids dream of playing in the Premier League, hinting that it really is just a matter of time and an Olympic gold medal before he takes his place at Stamford Bridge.

The next few years could see Brazilian players take the Premier League by storm. If Oscar and Lucas Moura complete their expected moves to Chelsea and Manchester United respectively, it might only be a matter of time before Neymar follows suit and who knows how much of a positive impact these players could have on our own national stars!

Dan Cain, football correspondent