Klopp: 'It's time for football to ask where the money is coming from'

The British government was right to impose sanctions on Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich but the Premier League club's employees should not have to suffer for it, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said on Friday.

Abramovich, who had been under scrutiny following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, announced he was selling the London club last week but that sale is now on hold with Chelsea operating under a special government licence.

While Chelsea can continue playing games and pay their players and staff, they cannot transfer players in or out as the government tries to prevent Abramovich from benefiting in any way.

"It's not a situation all the employees at Chelsea are responsible for. One man is and that's (Russian president) Vladimir Putin," Klopp told reporters ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Brighton & Hove Albion.

"I don't know about Roman Abramovich's role in all this but you can say he is close. I think what the government did is right."

Abramovich has denied having close ties with Putin.