How Much Is Chelsea Midfielder Oscar Worth in the Current Transfer Market?
Juventus will face Barcelona in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Such has been their rise in recent years, it's meant the headlines about which of their stars will be departing for big money have never been too far away.
Arturo Vidal's future has been a point of contention for some time, while Paul Pogba has joined him in being courted by a host of Europe's finest clubs.
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If Juve are indeed to lose one of the prized assets, they'll need to replace them rather quick to maintain their lofty status on the continent, which is why it was no surprise when news of a bid for Chelsea's Oscar was recently revealed.
It was just the valuation that shocked many.
According to John Cross of the Mirror, the Serie A champions want to lure Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder to Italy for a mere £9 million.
Chelsea fans were probably choking on their cornflakes as they sat down to read their morning papers. Massimiliano Allegri would probably be doing a whole lot more if he actually pulled the proposed deal off.
If £9 million seems cheap for Oscar, what is he actually worth?
Age
At just 23 years old, Oscar has his whole career ahead of him. While there are issues about his tendency to drop off in the latter stages of a season—as has been the case in his three years at Chelsea—there's an argument to suggest it's a sign of youth.
The Brazilian has yet to peak, and as we so often see with many young players, their form can fluctuate considerably.
What's concerning about Oscar in that regard is that he looks exceptional for six months and then may as well not turn up for the others, such is his contribution.
Oscar does have age on his side, though, so for any bidding club, Chelsea will be reminding them of that.
Chelsea wouldn't just be selling a player—they would also be selling time. And as we know, that's a valuable commodity in any sport.
Status
What is status? It's an intangible quality that is difficult to judge, yet it comes with considerable value.
The status of players within teams reflects the position of a football club in their own league and further afield in Europe and beyond.
Every team wants big names. They feed the egos of owners, give managers a psychological edge against opponents and give fans what they want—that all important element of glamour.
Status sells the whole package.
Oscar is one of the poster boys of Brazilian football, and that comes with significant status attached to it. After all, everybody loves a Samba boy.
If, for instance, Juventus were to make good on their interest in Oscar, they would be investing in a player who is much than that. He's a marketable icon, which can often lead to dollar signs appearing in an owner's eyes.
That said, what does it say about Chelsea if they were willing to allow such a high-profile name to leave the club? Have they lost their ambition? Are they not among Europe's elite? Is money driving policy at Stamford Bridge?
Talent
Regardless of Oscar's flaws, there's little need to discuss his ability as a footballer. It's been clear since his breakthrough performance for Chelsea—ironically against Juventus in the 2012 Champions League—that he is a player of significant means.
The big concern is regarding his aforementioned tendency to disappear at vital stages of the season.
With the transfer market flooded with big-money deals these days, it's difficult for clubs to judge what is value for money. It's where the individual moments of brilliance are left to convince, such as Oscar's goal against Queens Park Rangers this season.
That goal produced the spark—it showed the Premier League exactly what sort of player he is.
Paul Pogba
He's one of Europe's most coveted players, and should Paul Pogba leave Juventus this summer, it changes the entire landscape where Oscar is concerned.
It happened to Chelsea when Roman Abramovich brought the club, and it will happen to Juventus—with deep pockets from the sale of Pogba, the price of players will inflate significantly.
Chelsea paid £20 million for Oscar three years ago. He's become a key part of their team since then. If Juventus are looking for Pogba's replacement and have significant funds to spare on the back of his sale, they will have to pay over the odds.
It'll mean paying more than the £9 million they reportedly offered Chelsea initially; it'll mean paying more than the £25 million Chelsea were originally reported to have paid Internacional in 2012.
Juve's rivals across Europe aren't going to allow them to strengthen without paying a big price, so Chelsea will reverse the tables of the past decade.
Return on Investment
This is a combination of everything we've discussed. What's in it for Juventus, or any other club that wants to chase Oscar this summer?
It's about the ROI. What trophies will he help them win? How many shirts will he sell? How many other players will be attracted to the club on the back of his transfer?
It's not just focused on what Oscar will produce on the pitch, wherever he ends up.
Other Transfers
We've seen Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez leave the Premier League over the last two summers for combined fees that topped £150 million.
Oscar isn't in their league, so it's fanciful to expect Chelsea to recoup anywhere near their respective £80 million and £75 million transfers.
At the other end of the scale, Memphis Depay recently joined Manchester United for £25 million. He's younger than Oscar, sure, yet producing the goods in the Netherlands is a far different story to doing it every week in the Premier League.
Oscar's proved himself to some degree. We know he can compete in Europe, and we know he is a big asset.
He finds himself in the middle ground of the transfer market. He's not raw enough for a club to uncover a bargain like United potentially have, yet he's not reached the heights of Bale and Suarez to command north of £40 million.
Contract
Finally, let's not forget that Oscar only signed a new contract at Chelsea last November. That deal keeps him at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2019, meaning the power is all the club's. For now.
Oscar can try to force through a move, but whoever wants him will have to stump up the cash to tempt Chelsea as, right now, they have no reason to give in to any demands.
As his contract runs down, things will change. But for the next two summers at least, Chelsea will call the shots.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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