Chelsea continue to deal with the fallout of owner Roman Abramovich being disqualified as a director of the club and sanctioned by the UK government for his links to Vladimir Putin after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the EU are set to hit the Russian with further sanctions on Monday.
The UK government initially brought sanctions against the owner last Thursday but despite Abramovich’s assets being frozen, Chelsea were handed a new licence to continue “football-related activities” and are in negotiations with the government to amend some aspects of it.
A statement from the league on Saturday read: “Following the imposition of sanctions by the UK government, the Premier League Board has disqualified Roman Abramovich as a director of Chelsea Football Club. The board’s decision does not impact on the club’s ability to train and play its fixtures, as set out under the terms of a licence issued by the government which expires on 31 May 2022.”
The disqualification of an owner by the Premier League would normally trigger the sale of their shareholding, however Abramovich had already publicly announced his intention to sell the club and a process has begun with bidders told to press on with submissions. A number are understood to be interested including LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly, Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and British property tycoon Nick Candy.
Chelsea adviser Petr Cech admitted he is unsure if the club will be able to finish the season, while on the pitch, Chelsea beat Newcastle 1-0 on Sunday and although head coach Thomas Tuchel promised to see out the campaign at Stamford Bridge, he refused to commit to the club in the longer term.
