The UK government's sanctions on Roman Abramovich have already made a seismic impact on Chelsea, and Manchester United fans want the club to take full advantage.
Abramovich was sanctioned on Thursday morning in the continued fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine because, as the government explained in a statement, he is "associated with a person who is/has been involved in destabilising Ukraine and undermining/threatening territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, namely Vladimir Putin, with whom (he) has had close relationship for decades.”
As a result, the Russian oligarch's UK assets have been frozen which means his proposed sale of Chelsea can no longer go through at present and the club can't sell tickets for matches or merchandise. Chelsea have been granted a special license to keep playing and paying staff members, which runs until May 31.
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However, as there is no telling how long the sanctions will be in place or when Chelsea will no longer be owned by Abramovich, it could have disastrous effects following the end of the season. At present, no new players will be able to be signed, no current players can be sold and no new deals can be offered to those who are out of contract.
That means Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen will not be able to sign fresh terms for the time being and it may put manager Thomas Tuchel in a precarious position. Though the coach is contracted until 2024, questions are already being asked as to whether he would want to stay in such a difficult situation and United fans are making it clear the club should make a move for him.
United are still on the hunt for a new permanent manager and are aiming to have one in place by the end of the season. Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag are the current leading contenders but Tuchel has enjoyed much more success than either of them and supporters are now dreaming of the possibility of him taking over at Old Trafford.
Football director John Murtough recently gave an update on United's search for a new manager. He said: "We are now conducting a thorough process for the appointment of a new permanent manager who will take charge this summer, with the objective to get us back to challenging for those domestic and European titles."
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