CHELSEA SHIRT SPONSOR Three announced Thursday it was suspending its deal with the Premier League club after the UK government slapped sanctions on Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

A spokesman for the mobile network provider said it felt the temporary suspension was “the right thing to do” in light of the asset freeze and travel ban on the billionaire.

Meanwhile, the UK government remains “open” to the sale of Chelsea despite imposing asset-freezing sanctions on Abramovich.

The Treasury would have to approve a new licence for Chelsea’s sale, but the Russian-Israeli billionaire would not be allowed to profit.

Abramovich has owned Chelsea since 2003 but put the club up for sale on March 2 in the wake of Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

A host of parties have signalled interest in buying Chelsea and Downing Street have now confirmed the Government could still oversee a sale.

Boris Johnson’s spokesman said: “We are now talking to Chelsea Football Club and those conversations will continue. It would be part of those discussions the terms of any specific licence that’s granted to allow any sale to proceed.

“The important thing is under no circumstances would any sale allow Roman Abramovich to profit from that or take any money from that sale.

“It’s fair to say the government is open to the sale of the club but currently it would require another licence and that would require further conversation with the Treasury and other departments.”

Chelsea will be subject to a transfer ban and be blocked from negotiating new contracts with current players, after all of Abramovich’s UK assets were frozen.

Defenders Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen are all out of contract at the end of the season, leaving the senior trio in a state of short-term limbo.

More to follow…

-Additional reporting by Press Association