Chelsea trio heading for exit as club is placed under transfer ban after Roman Abramovich is sanctioned

Chelsea are now under an effective transfer embargo after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government.

And the future of players out of contract at the end of the season such as Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and captain Cesar Azpilicueta are in even greater doubt.

Chelsea have been banned from making any new “inter-club payments”, which would appear to have left them under a transfer ban. It is unclear if they are banned from offering new deals to existing players.

But there are now huge doubts over the futures of Thomas Tuchel and his players, and Rudiger, Christensen and Azpilicueta are heading for exits in the summer.

Tuchel’s plans to strengthen his team this summer will be blocked unless a sale of the club goes through.

Abramovich has had his assets frozen because of his links with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Despite the sanctions imposed on Abramovich, Chelsea will still be allowed to operate after being granted a special licence to continue football-related activity.

The sanctions have blocked Abramovich’s immediate plans to sell Chelsea.

A sale may yet go ahead, but Abramovich would have to hand over the process to the UK Government, and it would be under the strict proviso that he does not benefit financially in any way.

Following the announcement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine.

“Today’s sanctions are the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies.”

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