Faris Abdullah, 20 (right), and his cousin Syahmi Anuar, also 20, were left trying to hold back tears after travelling to Stamford Bridge today only to find the shop and ground closed to the public.

The pair are on holiday in London from Malaysia with 13 members of their families in a trip costing about £30,000.

“We’re so disappointed,” Faris told The Independent. “We’ve been planning to come here and buy some merchandise and souvenirs to bring home to our friends and today was supposed to be the day.

“I’m trying to hold it in, honestly. I’m trying not to think about it just to avoid the tears.”

The cousins said they had supported the club for as long as they could remember and this was the first time they had made the journey over from Malaysia to visit the ground.

The Chelsea squad is continuing to prepare for Thursday’s Premier League clash at Norwich as normal, but everyone at the club is now examining the details of the current situation.

Chelsea’s shirt sponsor, telecommunications company Three, has placed the deal under review.

A company spokesperson said: “We are in discussions with Chelsea and reviewing our position.”

The three-year deal was announced in January 2020, with the company logos appearing on shirts from the start of last season.

Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government, plunging Chelsea’s long-term future into doubt.

The Russian-Israeli billionaire’s planned sale of the club will now be stalled, but could still go through provided the Government issues a licence.

It is understood Abramovich would have to prove he would not benefit from the sale to meet conditions of any potential licence.

The 55-year-old has pledged to donate all funds from a Chelsea sale into a new foundation to benefit victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

And should the Blues owner be able to prove his plans to Government officials, the sale of the Stamford Bridge club could yet go ahead.

No 10 has said the government is “open” to a sale of Chelsea — but stressed in “no way” could proceeds benefit the sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich.

It is understood the licence that has been issued to Chelsea does not currently allow the sale, but it would be for the Treasury to consider a further application.

The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “We are now talking to Chelsea Football Club, obviously and those conversations will continue.

“It will be part of discussions the terms of any specific licence that is granted to allow the 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”.

They added: “The principle has been to try and mitigate the impact on fans and the wider football pyramid.

“These measures are obviously designed to to punish Putin and ensure any revenue generate cannot make its way through the Russian war machine.

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

So far, 18 oligarchs have been sanctioned by the UK government since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Five other oligarchs were sanctioned before the Kremlin waged war.

The club are obliged to keep records of any activity permitted under the licence with a value exceeding £5,000 for a minimum of six years.

The licence expires on 31 May. The Treasury reserves the right to vary, revoke or suspend it at any time.

The core principle of the licence is to deny access to revenue, beyond what the club needs to operate on a day-to-day basis.

Travel costs for any match played by a team representing Chelsea will be capped at £20,000.

That immediately raises the issue of how the men’s team will be able to fulfil future Champions League away ties beyond next week’s last-16 second leg against Lille.

Fees of up to £500,000 for hosting any Chelsea match can be paid for security, stewarding and so on.

Existing ticket holders can still attend matches, and purchase food and drink while there.

A document issued by the Treasury states the club can continue to pay the salaries, allowances and pensions of all employees.

Fees, dividends and other allowances to directors which pre-date the licence can be paid, with the exception of anything due to Abramovich.

Fees related to the day-to-day maintenance of club facilities can be paid, but no money can go towards new capital works or refurbishment of Stamford Bridge or any other club-owned sites.

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee will hear from Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston, Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham and the Premier League's chief policy and corporate affairs officer Helen MacNamara on Tuesday.

Committee chair Julian Knight said the hearing would "explore issues around the role of Russian money in our national game and will examine the Government's approach to financial sanctions targeted at specific individuals and its general policy on sporting sanctions and boycotts".

Knight added: "This morning's announcement that Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the Government and emerging details of the likely effect on one of the country's biggest football clubs illustrates the deep and wide-ranging impact such measures will have on sport in this country."

The committee will also ask whether the Government is concerned about investments in UK sport from other nations with poor human rights records, such as China and Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea are banned from selling any merchandise in its club shop as part of the sanctions against owner Roman Abramovich.

It shut its doors earlier this morning and won’t now be open until the situation around the club changes. E.g. the sanctions are lifted or the club is sold.

Third parties who purchased or produced club merchandise prior to today are permitted to sell existing stocks, on the condition that no funds or other financial benefits are made available to the club or Abramovich.

To recap an explosive morning, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government.

Abramovich has owned Chelsea since 2003 and has always staunchly denied any current political links to president Vladimir Putin and Russia’s ruling elite, but Boris Johnson’s government has now frozen all his UK assets.

The move sees Chelsea frozen as an asset but given special permission to continue operating as a football club although no match tickets or club merchandise can be sold. 

Player transfers and new contracts are also not permitted while there are now caps in place on travel and other day-to-day running costs.

The proposed sale of the club is also now barred although the government could give special dispensation to a deal, if Abramovich doesn’t profit from it financially.