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Sao Paulo has completed the signing of former Chelsea midfielder Oscar on a free transfer, the Brazilian Serie A club said on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old

"I'm happy to be back in Brazil and to be able to play for Sao Paulo, which is the club where I started, where I got my foundation and where I came to prominence," Oscar told Sao Paulo's official website.

Oscar Emboaba Junior (L) of Shanghai SIPG FC vies for the ball during a Group H football match of the AFC Champions League between Shanghai SIPG FC and Yokohama F. Marinos in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 25, 2020. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua)

"I am happy about coming back, as is my family. I'm grateful for the affection I have received on social media in the last few days and I will do my best to achieve great things together."

Oscar, who completed a medical on Monday, is expected to join his new teammates on a pre-season training camp in the United States in the second week of January 2025.

Sao Paulo president Julio Casares said Oscar had been a long-time target of the club.

"Oscar is a player who needs no introduction," Casares said. "He has a technical quality that is hard to find on the market. I personally committed myself to this negotiation, as I had been talking to him about this possibility for over six months."

Earlier, Oscar took to social media to express gratitude for his time in China.

"Thank you for these eight unforgettable years. Thank you for everything," he said.

Oscar made 248 appearances across all competitions for Shanghai Port following his 2017 arrival from Chelsea. He scored 77 goals and provided 141 assists during his time in China, helping Shanghai Port to three CSL titles.

He enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2024 with 14 goals and 24 assists in the top flight as Shanghai Port secured the title by finishing one point ahead of second-placed Shanghai Shenhua.

Oscar began his professional career at Sao Paulo in 2008 and moved to Internacional in 2010 before his high-profile transfer to Chelsea two years later. He has been capped 48 times for Brazil and was a member of Luiz Felipe Scolari's side that won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup on home soil.