With sanctions against Roman Abramovich in effect, Chelsea’s club credit cards have been temporarily suspended by Barclays as per reports.
According to Sky Sports, the corporate credit cards used by Chelsea employees were reportedly unusable at the time of writing this, and it is unclear how long the suspension will remain in place.
It had also been reported earlier that Chelsea’s back account had also been frozen by Barclays but Sky Sports said that the account was operational, citing the club.
Also read | How Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich changed the face of English football
Meanwhile, The Press Association reported that Chelsea have had multiple bank accounts suspended as banks assess the operating licence given to Chelsea.
The news comes a day after the UK government gave Chelsea a special operating licence to continue football-related activities after owner Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen, and a prohibition of transactions with UK businesses and individuals was imposed on the oligarch in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions on Abramovich effectively halted his attempts to sell Chelsea, which he had announced days earlier in the “best interest” of the club.
Also read | How UK sanctions on Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will affect the club
The 55-year-old had also said that he was working on setting up a charitable trust which would redirect the proceeds from Chelsea’s sale to help victims of the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian billionaire had, over his 19 years of ownership, given $2 billion in loans to Chelsea to elevate the team to one of Europe’s finest, and said that he would not be looking for repayment.
“I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart,” Abramovich had said.