World's fifth-highest earner Oscar ready to take huge pay cut to join Barcelona

Former Chelsea star Oscar is prepared to walk away from his mega salary in the Chinese Super League to join Barcelona this January.

The Brazilian playmaker joined Chinese club Shanghai Port from the Blues in January 2017 and is one of the highest earners in world football.

Barca's well-documented financial problems have not prevented them from completing the signing of Ferran Torres from Manchester City this month for an initial fee of £46million, with potential add-ons meaning the deal could rise to £54million.

Yet the club's desperate means of registering Torres with the Spanish football authorities have suggested that further additions this month may be difficult, although club president Joan Laporta retains his openly bullish stance.

The Barca supremo told gathered reporters last week when speaking of signing new players: "Everybody should get ready, as we are back as big players in the market."

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While Laporta's comments were primarily aimed at the club's potential of signing striker Erling Braut Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, it is a signal that they are willing to invest in their squad where possible.

As per a report in Marca, Oscar is currently the fifth highest paid player in football but is prepared to take a significant wage cut in order to move to the Camp Nou.

The 30-year-old Brazilian is currently in the off-season in the Chinese Super League, where he joined for a £50million transfer fee from Chelsea in 2017.

While he won the league title in 2018 and the Chinese Cup the following year, Oscar has fallen from prominence following on from his move to the Far East.

The last of his 48 caps for the Brazilian national team came in 2016, and he may well believe he can be a part of the squad for the upcoming World Cup later this year.

Oscar was widely recognised as one of the best South American attack-minded players during his stint at Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles alongside the Europa League and League Cup.

However, his contract in China runs through to the summer of 2024 and any move could be difficult - especially as Barca's priority in the transfer market is on signing a new striker, rather than a playmaker.

Oscar is said to have a weekly wage packet of £563k - which equates to annual wage of £28million - a salary which Barca would be unable to compete with or offer to any prospective signing.

He could theoretically replace Philippe Coutinho in the Blaugrana squad - his compatriot who has joined Aston Villa on a loan deal for the remainder of the campaign.

Since moving to China, Oscar has made 113 appearances in the Super League, scoring 34 times and registering 73 assists - being arguably the most talented player in the division.

A new salary cap introduced in Chinese football last year limited clubs to spending £66.5million per annum on salaries, with a separate limit on foreign players.