Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar was expected to join Flamengo this summer. But, Shanghai SIPG pulled out of the deal at the last minute, and the player will now be staying in China for the remainder of the season.

The deal was in the final stages, and the player had also pictured himself in a Flamengo shirt. But, the documents were not signed by the club, and now, the deal is completely off for the time being.

Oscar not joining Flamengo as deal collapses at last stages

Oscar signed contract with Flamengo on August 5 as club announcement was ready – but Shanghai SIPG didn't sign final documents and so decided against verbal agreement. 🇧🇷 #transfers

Oscar took pics with Flamengo shirt and here confirms he wanted to join – but deal is now off. https://t.co/3Ose2HsccL
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 16, 2022

The midfielder sent out a tweet to explain the situation:

‘I appreciate the interest of Flamengo and the fans, but it was not possible to do so at that moment.

‘I wish the club the best of luck and all the friends I have there for the remainder of this season. Thank you all!’

Oscar made the move to China in 2017 from Chelsea, for an eye-catching fee worth £54 million. At the time, Chelsea were close to winning the Premier League and it was seen as a purely financial move. Five years later, the player was set to return to Brazil, but due to differences between the two clubs, things haven’t gone according to plan.

A number of European clubs were tracking him prior to his move to Asia, and at 30, it is likely that he will soon earn a move away.