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Oscar has been in China since 2017.

5 former Chelsea players you had no idea are still playing outside of Europe

Michael Lee •

While most former Chelsea players are currently playing elsewhere in Europe, several of their former employees have ventured away from the continent.

There are countless examples of former Blues players who are now playing across the globe after leaving the Etihad behind.

Ignoring some of the obvious names like Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy, here are five former Chelsea players you probably had no idea were still playing outside of Europe.

Diego Costa

It still feels like a psychedelic dream that Costa played in the Premier League last season, barging defenders over and scoring once in 23 appearances for Wolves.

Now 35, the Premier League-winning striker returned to Brazil with Botafogo but has since moved to Gremio in the same league.

“He is Spanish, but has Brazilian blood and titles wherever he has been!” the club wrote on social media following Costa’s arrival.

“Diego Costa arrives to strengthen Imortal’s attack. Multi-time champion in Europe, he has already worn yellow and red and will now defend the Tricolor mantle. Welcome!'”

Salomon Kalou

Kalou is 38, but is still turning out for Djiboutian side Arta/Solar7 where he recently played alongside former Arsenal and Barcelona man Alex Song.

Much loved at Stamford Bridge for his goalscoring prowess from the bench, the ex-Ivory Coast international is a proper throwback to the era of Barclays, Jose Mourinho and Chelsea being half-decent.

Oscar

Oscar was slightly erratic and occasionally brilliant at Stamford Bridge, after arriving aged 21 for a fee of £25million in 2012.

He scored 38 goals in 203 appearances for the Blues, playing a prominent role in the 2014-15 Premier League title before making the shock move to Chinese club Shanghai SIPG for around £52million.

“Every football player, or every person who works, wants to earn money to help their families,” he told Copa 90 in 2017.

“I came from a social background in Brazil that is very poor.”

“All the foreign players who come here are at a really high level. China has incredible financial power and sometimes makes offers that players can’t refuse.”

Despite speaking about wanting to return to Chelsea, Oscar remains in Shanghai to this day.

David Luiz

There was never a dull moment with Luiz around.

The flamboyant defender won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2011-12 and scored in the penalty shootout after doing his iconic 20-yard-run-up.

And that’s without mentioning the thrills and spills every week in the Premier League as the Brazilian defied description.

Luiz also had success in the Copa Libertadores with Flamengo, where the 36-year-old remains to this day. We miss him.

Chelsea's David Luiz during the Community Shield match against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, London, August 2018.

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every Brazilian to appear for Chelsea in the Premier League?

Franco Di Santo

Di Santo was always doomed to failure at Stamford Bridge; he was very unhelpfully dubbed the ‘new Maradona’, then somebody gave him the ‘blessing’ of wearing Chelsea’s infamously cursed No.9 shirt.

He played a few times under Phil Scolari, but was never really up to the task and wasn’t exactly prolific at Wigan either.

Following six years in the Bundesliga, he’s embarked on an extended backpacker’s trip, taking in Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile, where he currently plays for Universidad Catolica aged 34.

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