Roman Abramovich selling Chelsea latest updates live: Premier League news, Super League, Russia-Ukraine impact on football and more

Norwich City development goalkeeper Jon McCracken has signed a contract extension with the Premier League club.

The 21-year-old Scot was set to be out of contract in July but has now signed a two-year extension, taking his stay to the summer of 2024.

McCracken first signed scholarship terms with Norwich in 2016 and has travelled with first-team goalkeepers Tim Krul, Angus Gunn and Michael McGovern this season.

He has featured on the substitutes’ bench this season but is yet to make a senior appearance.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects defender Ruben Dias to miss “four to six weeks” with a hamstring injury.

The injury will force the Portugal international out of City’s next match against Manchester United on Sunday, while Nathan Ake will also miss out.

Full story here.

Asked about the Premier League’s gesture of solidarity for Ukraine, the Manchester City boss said: “It’s important but at the end it is just a gesture. All around the world personally and collective do something.

“Politicians can avoid these things. It happens because they are complete failures. It happens because they are not able to do it. It happens where innocent people are suffering. NATO and European nations are failures.”

Elaborating on Zinchenko, he added: “It’s concerning, as long as the war continues it gets worse and worse. He’s involved incredibly in his country doing projects. He knows better than anyone else, he has family there. It’s getting worse, this situation is 8, 9 days. Unfortunately it will be longer.”

China will pull their coverage of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures over the competition’s show of support for Ukraine.

The Premier League had announced that the upcoming games will include a pre-match moment of reflection, captains wearing special armbands, LED boards at pitch-side showing messages of support and television and social media branding in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

The Athletic understands that the Premier League has been told by its Chinese rights holders that it will not broadcast any games between March 5-7.

Full story here.

(Photo: Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)

The Polish FA have asked FIFA to reopen the transfer window for players in the Ukrainian Premier League, as well as foreign players in Russia, The Athletic understands.

The Ukrainian Premier League was suspended on February 24, the day Russia launched their invasion.

It is intended that players would leave the league on loan for as long as the competition is suspended, and that their contracts would not be terminated.

Initial loans could be made until the end of the season, with the future of the affected players to be reassessed in the summer.

The Athletic understands that FIFA is holding a meeting with the European Club Association (ECA) today, where the topic will be discussed.

Full story here.

(Photo: Pavel Pavlov/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Clyde have announced they are in the process of terminating the loan agreement for David Goodwillie.

A club statement on Thursday night read: “The club are tonight in the process of terminating the loan agreement with Raith Rovers for David Goodwillie.”

The news comes after Clyde Ladies players quit the club en-masse after rapist Goodwillie rejoined the men’s team this week.

His initial transfer from Clyde to Raith Rovers in January prompted widespread condemnation.

The 32-year-old former Scotland international was ruled to be a rapist and ordered to pay damages in a civil case in 2017.

It was the first civil rape case of its kind in Scotland.

Full story here.

Thomas Tuchel has admitted there is “uncertainty” at Chelsea following Roman Abramovich’s announcement he plans to sell the Premier League club, but has said he wants to remain at Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich said in a statement on Wednesday that he had made the “incredibly difficult decision” to sell the Premier League club.

He had previously given “stewardship and care” of Chelsea to its foundation trustees following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tuchel said on Friday that the uncertainty over Chelsea’s ownership had led to a range of reactions at the club — with some feeling “scared, some excited and some sad” — but made clear his intention to remain as head coach.

Full story here.

(Photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Everton overcame Boreham Wood last night, in the battle of my local club versus the club I support.

But just before the match, the quarter-final draw was finalised (though it will always be known as the sixth round to me).

The ties are:

Crystal Palace vs Everton

Nottingham Forest or Huddersfield vs Liverpool

Middlesbrough vs Chelsea

Southampton vs Manchester City

More here.

(Photo: Emma Simpson/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Nottingham Forest remain confident of falling within profit and sustainability limits, despite the latest set of accounts revealing an operating loss of £34.4 million for the financial year 2021.

Significantly, those losses were reduced to £15.5 million when interest, profit on the sale of players and a historic loan write off were taken into account.

The club played an entire season of football behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a major impact.

That was the main factor behind their losses rising from £31.9 million in the previous financial year.

More here.

(Photo: Cameron Smith/Getty Images)

Newcastle United will make a “late call” on Allan Saint-Maximin’s fitness ahead of tomorrow’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Frenchman has missed Newcastle’s last two matches with a calf problem and was in Monaco this week, working with a specialist in an attempt to speed up his recovery.

Saint-Maximin is now back on Tyneside but has not trained with the team yet, although he will take part in today’s session, when Eddie Howe, the head coach, will then decide whether the 24-year-old is fit enough to be involved at St James’ Park tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Howe has revealed that the club are set to sit down with Fabian Schar’s representatives about potentially extending the centre-back’s contract.

Full story here.

(Photo: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Clearly, there are issues far more significant ongoing in Ukraine at present. But what would happen to Chelsea if the UK government did place Abramovich on the sanctions list before he could smooth their sale?

Attempting to answer that question comes with plenty of caveats. This is uncharted territory. Sanctions tend to be brought against entities connected to big industrial companies or banks. In this case they would be brought against the owner of an elite-level football club. There are so many hypotheticals involved.

The Athletic investigates.

Ukraine have asked FIFA to postpone their upcoming World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Scotland due to Russia’s invasion on their country.

Scotland were due to host Ukraine at Glasgow’s Hampden Park on March 24, with the winner due to face either Wales or Austria on March 29 for a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, the game is now in doubt as football has been suspended in Ukraine due to the current invasion by Russia.

A FIFA spokesperson said of Ukraine’s request: “FIFA can confirm it has received a request from the Ukrainian Association of Football today to postpone their matches scheduled for March.

“FIFA remains in regular contact with UEFA and the Scottish Football Association to find an appropriate solution. FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to everybody affected by what is happening in Ukraine. A further update will be provided in due course.”

(Photo: Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Welcome to today’s football news.

There are 16 Premier League press conferences, Chelsea are possibly getting sold, and plenty of FA Cup reaction.

Stay here throughout the day for updates.

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Join us again tomorrow for all the latest news from the football world.

Ukraine have asked FIFA to postpone their upcoming World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Scotland due to Russia’s invasion on their country.

Scotland were due to host Ukraine at Glasgow’s Hampden Park on March 24, with the winner due to face either Wales or Austria on March 29 for a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, the game is now in doubt as football has been suspended in Ukraine due to the current invasion by Russia.

Click here to read the full story.

(Photo: Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Championship side Middlesbrough will host Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Chris Wilder’s men, who have eliminated Manchester United and Tottenham in previous rounds, were handed a home tie by former Riverside manager Gareth Southgate.

The England boss gave another of his former sides a home fixture with Crystal Palace facing the winners of Thursday night’s encounter between Everton and fifth-tier Boreham Wood.

Recent League Cup winners Liverpool will travel to either Nottingham Forest or Huddersfield Town. The Championship duo face off at the City Ground on Monday night.

Southampton will entertain Premier League leaders Manchester City with the eventual last eight aiming to progress to the semi-finals at Wembley.

The FA Cup quarter-finals will take place on the weekend of Friday, March 18 to Monday, March 21.

The draw in full:

Crystal Palace v Everton or Boreham Wood

Nottingham Forest or Huddersfield v Liverpool

Middlesbrough v Chelsea

Southampton v Manchester City

(Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)