Chelsea FC Sale Halted By UK Government As Roman Abramovich Is Sanctioned

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government on Thursday as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich has had his assets frozen, including Chelsea FC which he had put up for sale eight days earlier.

Abramovich was one of seven Russian oligarchs sanctioned on Thursday, with the government targeting individuals believed to be close to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

In the statement Abramovich made when he outlined his intention to sell the club, the 55-year-old had vowed to pass on "all net proceeds" from the sale to a new charitable foundation to help "all victims of the war in Ukraine".

Abramovich denies allegations that he is close to Putin. 

But he was believed to be aware that sanctions were a possibility as he was said to want a fast sale, despite valuing Chelsea FC at around £3 billion.

Billionaires including Nick Candy, Hansjorg Wyss and Todd Boehly had all showed interest in buying the club but their proposals have now been put on hold.

However, the Daily Mail has suggested that the government could still permit the sale of Chelsea as long as Abramovich does not benefit financially.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich pictured at Stamford Bridge in 2015

IMAGO/Adam Davy

Nadine Dorries, who is the UK's Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, wrote on Twitter on Thursday: "Putin's attack on Ukraine continues & we are witnessing new levels of evil by the hour.

"Today the Government has announced further sanctions against individuals linked to the Russian Government. This list includes Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club.

"Our priority is to hold those who have enabled the Putin regime to account. Today’s sanctions obviously have a direct impact on Chelsea & its fans. We have been working hard to ensure the club & the national game are not unnecessarily harmed by these important sanctions.

"To ensure the club can continue to compete and operate we are issuing a special license that will allow fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches while, crucially, depriving Abramovich of benefiting from his ownership of the club.

"I know this brings some uncertainty, but the Government will work with the league & clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended. Football clubs are cultural assets and the bedrock of our communities. We're committed to protecting them."

As well as Chelsea's sale being put on hold, the way the club operates on a day-to-day basis will be significantly impacted by the sanctions imposed on Abramovich.

Ticket sales halted and club shop closed

Ticket sales are no longer permitted, so only fans who have already purchased tickets will be able to attend matches at Stamford Bridge.

The club shop has also been closed as the sale of merchandise is no longer allowed.

Transfer ban

Chelsea can not buy or sell any players until further notice.

New contracts can not be issued either, which could make it very hard for Chelsea to keep hold of Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta, with the trio's current deals set to expire on June 30.

Away travel

The license given to Chelsea to allow the club to continue operating runs until May 31.

Under the terms of the license, the club is prohibited from spending more than £20,000 on travel per away game.

This could cause serious logistical issues for European games, with Chelsea set to play Lille in France on March 16.