Chelsea sale halted after U.K. announces Roman Abramovich sanctions

Chelsea Football Club is in a precarious spot after the United Kingdom added owner Roman Abramovich to its list of sanctioned Russian oligarchs. Abramovich had his assets frozen Thursday morning and is now prohibited from traveling or doing transactions with U.K. individuals or businesses.

"Today’s sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society," U.K. foreign secretary Liz Truss said in a release. "With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression."

Abramovich, 55, initially announced that stewardship of Chelsea would be transferred to the club's charitable foundation due to backlash stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But the foundation rejected the plans and Abramovich announced last week that he would sell Chelsea.

While a few interested parties tossed their name into consideration, including New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, the sale of Chelsea is now halted due to the sanctions. According to ESPN, the U.K. government would consider an application for a license to sell the club, but only if Abramovich did not benefit from the sale.

In a statement on Twitter, U.K. minister for sport Nadine Dorres wrote that Chelsea has been extended a license to allow it to continue day-to-day operations, despite the sanctions.