Goal.com

The Internacional starlet could soon be plying his trade in the Premier League and the hype surrounding the young Brazilian looks to be fully justified

PROFILE
By Matheus Harb | Goal.com Brazil

It is a modern but well-worn curse for players of a certain age from Brazil to be labelled as the 'new Kaka', with the likes of Hernanes, Ganso and a whole host of others having been compared to the Real Madrid man - the country's most high profile player of the last decade.

It is hard to imagine that anyone has suffered the curse as much as Internacional’s Oscar, who started at the same Sao Paulo grounds where the former AC Milan playmaker first made his name. However, with a big-money move to Europe in the offing and Chelsea the likely destination, the comparisons, I dare say, are justified.

At the Morumbi youth ranks, when Oscar was 16, people were already predicting that the Tricolor had a star in the making. The Tricolor board, however, must have been in shock when the player and his representatives went to court to claim his player rights from the club. The lawyers alleged that the youngster was coerced into signing a five-year contract with Sao Paulo when he was 16, despite Fifa’s strict rules against this kind of act. There then followed a series of legal disputes between Oscar and the club from the end of 2009 until mid-2010, when he signed for Internacional.

Joining the then Copa Libertadores champions was not always easy for the player, as he was far behind coach Celso Roth’s first team preferences, having to battle for a spot against the likes of Andrés D’alessandro, Tinga and Giuliano. Oscar enjoyed little playing time during the second semester, but it was enough for Inter fans to acknowledge what a gem of a player their team had just signed. As was predicted, he only had a few minutes during the tragic Club World Cup campaign later that year, much to the supporters’ disapproval. The fact is, as soon as the next pre-season started, Oscar grabbed a starting place and never let it go.

OSCAR ATTACKING MIDFIELDER | INTERNACIONAL

2012 SEASON CLUB STATS Appearances 20 Goals 6 Assists 10 INTERNATIONAL FILE Brazil debut v Argentina (Sep 2011) Caps 6 Goals 1

One of the most important contributions that Oscar brings to the current Inter squad is the ability to speed up plays, due to his intense movement and great on-ball skills. Playing opposite D’alessandro, he is able to give options other than the Argentinian’s slow tempo game, by starting counterattacks and making himself available to finish in the box. And here is the other great thing about Oscar: although he prefers wandering and participating in the intermediate section of the pitch, he provides a headache to the opposition defences every time he gets inside the penalty area. Even though he shows great finishing touch, his slim build may be something to worry about in a more physical division like the Premier League.

All of this was particularly highlighted at Brazil’s Under-20 world championship campaign, where Oscar could show most of his potential without being in the shadow of players like Neymar and Ganso. He played an important part in the team’s success, involving fellow team-mates in attacks and being a decisive member himself; you just have to remember his stunning hat-trick in the 3-2 final win against Portugal.

From then on, he started to make himself visible for the senior national squad, a status he was given last September, and which he maintains until today.

Everything was going well for the midfielder until February, when Sao Paulo’s appeal at the Labour Court was successful and the player was forced to rejoin his former club. An intense struggle then followed for weeks between Inter and the Tricolor’s boards, each side trying to keep the starlet on their squads. Oscar’s wish, to remain at the Colorado, was finally granted after both clubs settled the purchase of the playmaker’s rights for approximately €6 million (£4.7m), the most expensive transfer between national clubs until now.

Certainly, after Oscar’s impressive performance at the latest Selecao’s friendlies, including a goal scored against Argentina, Inter should be convinced they have a great deal. The recent signing of Diego Forlán shows that they are ready to let their young star shine elsewhere.