The 55-year-old Russian billionaire who owns Chelsea as well as a £125 million (about K134 billion) mansion in the United Kingdom is unlikely to ever be allowed to live in Britain again.
Abramovich has not been seen at the Chelsea headquarters at Stamford Bridge for months and UK media reports indicate that alleged relationship with Russia president Vladimir Putin would prevent him from being based in the country or applying for British citizenship.
The reports come as Putin has launched a military operation in Ukraine.
According to The Daily Mail, a senior source told UK media that any attempt by the oligarch to apply for a permanent visa would ‘almost certainly be rejected’.
It is also reported that immigration officials have clear instructions not to allow Abramovich to base himself in the UK.
Labour MP Chris Bryant also told the House of Commons that a UK Home Office document identified Abramovich as having links to the Russian state, raising questions over his ownership of Chelsea.
Bryant said: “That is nearly three years ago and yet remarkably little has been done in relation. Surely Mr Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country?”
