Chelsea’s bank account temporarily suspended, Sky Sports News understands

Chelsea’s bank account has been temporarily suspended by Barclays, according to Sky Sports News.

It is understood the bank needs time to assess the licence which Chelsea have been given to continue football-related activities.

But Chelsea, who play Newcastle in a home game on Sunday, are hopeful the suspension will be lifted shortly.

The club’s company credit cards have also temporarily been suspended.

It comes after Russian-Israeli owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government over his alleged links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On Thursday, Mr Abramovich had “his assets frozen, a prohibition on transactions with UK individuals and businesses, a travel ban and transport sanctions” imposed on him.

The sanctions are intended to stop the 55-year-old billionaire from making any money in the UK, but the government has granted the west London club a special licence to allow fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches.

However, Chelsea have been blocked from selling merchandise or signing players, they cannot offer new contracts to players or staff, conduct any transfer business or sell new tickets to matches as things stand.

And the mobile phone network, Three, has suspended its sponsorship deal.

Mr Abramovich had been planning to sell the club but the sale remains technically on hold for now.

However, the Treasury could issue a new licence to allow a deal to go through – provided Mr Abramovich receives no benefit.

Mr Abramovich has always denied links to Russia’s current regime, but Putin’s war in Ukraine has led to a major geopolitical shift.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has told Sky Sports it is “hard to focus only on football” amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and feels “very privileged” to be a Premier League coach.

He was asked what he has had time to reflect on in challenging circumstances.

“Maybe it has never been more true to live in the moment because everything else seems very, very difficult,” he said.

“To understand the situation feels very difficult, to see where it is going is maybe impossible. So in the end we stick to the mantra to live in the moment and worship where we are.

“It is not easy, but it is out of our control. Sometimes it makes things more difficult, but sometimes more easy to accept we cannot do anything in the moment, to wait and to constantly adapt.”