The sale of Chelsea FC in 2022 was one of the highest-profile and most controversial sports transactions of all time. In the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Roman Abramovich was forced to put his beloved club up for sale, and under the threat of bankruptcy and ruin, Chelsea pulled off a complex transaction in three tense and troubling months. Sanctioned chronicles those ninety-five extraordinary days in English football.

Through unprecedented access to Abramovich himself, key figures from Chelsea’s new ownership and a star-studded footballing cast, Nick Purewal unfolds a wide-ranging tale of political sanctions, hushed negotiations, Cold War-style geopolitics and even a foul-play poisoning episode, all set against the backdrop of a drawn-out war on the edge of Europe.

Four years on, the funds from the Chelsea sale, earmarked for humanitarian causes, remained frozen in a bank account. In this updated edition, Nick Purewal charts the fraught political and legal battles to unlock this capital, as well as the highs and lows of Chelsea’s 2025–26 season – from headline-grabbing wins to dramatic staff exits and mammoth fines.

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Reviews

“A story that reads more like a John le Carré thriller novel than the sports pages.”

Jerusalem Post

“Sanctioned is more than just a sports business book; it’s a compelling examination of how global politics, big money and the beautiful game intersect in the modern era. For anyone interested in football, business or geopolitics, this book offers an essential and gripping account of a unique moment in sporting history.”

Soccer Books

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