Chelsea have reportedly had their bank account temporarily suspended by Barclays as they continue to feel the effects of government sanctions on Roman Abramovich.
Thursday morning saw the government announce that Abramovich was among the latest figures to be sanctioned for having connections to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
It comes as the Kremlin continues it invasion of Ukraine and, although Abramovich has always denied those connections, he has been deemed worthy of sanctions, having his UK assets frozen.
This includes Chelsea, a club he has owned for 19 years, leaving many fans and employees in a state of concern.
The sanctions mean that the Blues are unable to carry out any activities that would see money coming into the club, including the sale of merchandise and match tickets.
It has also seen sponsors reassess their involvement with the club, with shirt sponsor Three requesting their logo be removed from the front of team’s shirts.
Now Barclays has joined the list of concerned organisations.
Sky Sports News have reported that the banking giants need time to assess the license Chelsea have been given by the government which allows the club to carry on their football-related activities, such as playing matches and paying staff.
The sanctions dictated that business could no longer be done with Abramovich after the Russian billionaire had his assets frozen because of alleged links to Vladimir Putin. The oligarch has always denied such allegations.
Chelsea remain hopeful that any suspension will be lifted shortly, however.