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Abramovich arrest reports denied

Claims that Roman Abramovich was arrested by American police have now been reported as false © PA Photos

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Roman Abramovich's rarely quoted spokesman has been forced to issue a statement to deny rumours that his high profile client has been arrested by American police in New York.

Reports in Russia had suggested that the Chelsea owner had been arrested by the FBI on Monday afternoon, sparking a collapse in the share price of Evraz holdings steel firm in which Abramovich is a major shareholder.

Yet spokesman John Mann issued a statement to insist 46-year-old Abramovich had not been apprehended by US officials as he dismissed the story that has spread on social networking sites on Monday.

"It's not true," Mr Mann told reporters. "He (Abramovich) is in the US but he has not been arrested or detained. All false."

The FBI later issued a statement to confirm they had not detained Mr Abramovich.

It is reported that Abramovich's partner, Dasha Zhukova, is due to give birth to his seventh child, with Abramovich said to have docked his £1b yacht Eclipse in America in preparation for the arrival of the latest member of his expending family.

The false reports of Abramovich's arrest came just 24 hours after the sudden death of his former business rival Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead by an employee on Saturday on a bathroom floor at his home in Berkshire. Police have confirmed his death is "consistent with hanging", after earlier reports of suspicious circumstances.

Meanwhile, a report in the Daily Mirror newspaper claims Abramovich has agreed a deal "in principle" to bring Jose Mourinho back to Chelsea this summer, but the story suggests the current Real Madrid boss has a similar agreement in place to take over as Paris Saint-Germain coach this summer.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.