Chelsea win Oscar for five more years, other accolades should follow

Odds-on 1/6 Premier League title favourites Chelsea have extended the contract of Brazil international attacking midfielder Oscar for a further two years, so he is now tied to the west London club until 2019.

The 23-year-old joined the Stamford Bridge side from Brazilian club Internacional in the summer of 2012, initially on a five-year deal, and has averaged about a goal for every five Premier League games played.

An integral member of Jose Mourinho’s Blues, who lead the way by four points from Southampton and eight ahead of reigning English top-flight champions Manchester City, Oscar is but one jewel in a glittering crown.

Summer additions of former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona and striker Diego Costa, who fired Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title last term, have transformed Chelsea from nearly men into champions-elect.

Mourinho recently described his side as “champions of autumn”, with the Blues unbeaten in 11 Premier League matches so far, dropping a mere four points. Now he has tied Oscar, who has over 40 caps and 11 goals for Brazil already, down to an extended deal as he plots the foundation of a dynasty.

If Belgium star Eden Hazard follows suit, with contract negotiations still understood to be ongoing, then Chelsea will have four world class forward-thinking stars committed to the club long-term. Coral also brought readers news of a rumoured winter window swap deal, which would see in-demand Borussia Dortmund and Germany attacker Marco Reus trade places with Andre Schurrle.

Should Hazard sign on the dotted line and this speculation surrounding Reus prove true, the Blues would have as good a front five as any of Europe’s elite. Backed up by Serbia anchorman Nemanja Matic, and a defensive line that includes compatriot Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill in front of Thibaut Courtois, domination could definitely be on the cards.

With wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben ageing at Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the process of rebuilding, only Real Madrid’s Galacticos look capable of mounting a credible challenge to check Chelsea. Mourinho is massively odds-on at 1/20 to bring a major trophy back to the Bridge this term, so what price on a Premier League and Champions League double? It’s 13/2 for the Blues.