Chelsea credit cards frozen by Barclays following Abramovich sanctions - sources

Chelsea's ability to operate on a day-to-day basis was complicated further on Friday after Barclays temporarily froze the club's credit cards, sources have told ESPN.

The news, which was first reported by The Times, comes after the club's assets were frozen on Thursday following U.K. government sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich

The Blues have been given a licence to continue fulfilling fixtures and paying staff but are relying on cash reserves to function with various revenue streams halted as part of the government action on Abramovich due to his alleged ties with Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Sources have told ESPN that the limitations on spending — which include a cap of around £20,000 ($26k) on travel to away matches and a £500,000 ($652k) limit on the cost of staging home games — have led Barclays to suspend the club's credit cards for fear of breaching government rules.

— Soccer on ESPN+: FC Daily | Futbol Americas — Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

The club remain in dialogue with the government over easing some of the restrictions and senior figures at Chelsea hope that their corporate credit cards will be unblocked in the coming days to allow greater financial freedom.

Talks are continuing about allowing the club greater access to generating revenue as there is concern Chelsea will not be able to generate sufficient funds to continue meeting its obligations if sanctions continue for a prolonged period.

The club's latest accounts, published in December for the year ending June 30, 2021, showed a cash balance of just £17 million ($22.2m), a figure far below many of their rivals.

It remains a possibility that if the government decides not to make certain financial concessions, the club could technically