A UKRAINIAN prisoner of war who had the words “Glory to Russia” burnt on his skin said he was left begging for death.

Following his release in a prisoner swap earlier this year, Andriy Pereverzev has revealed disturbing details of his time in captivity, including sick torture method “Calling Putin”.

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POW Andriy Pereverzev has revealed details of his torture[/caption]

East2West

Old Soviet phones with dials are used for sickening electric shock torture[/caption]

East2West

Pereverzev was branded with ‘Glory to Russia’ on his abdomen while in captivity[/caption]

The Ukrainian POW was captured in February 2024 on the battlefield after being severely wounded.

Despite his pleas to just “end it” and “finish” him off, Pereverzev was carried to an encampment where he was brutally tortured.

Speaking for the first time about his experience, Pereverzev told how he was mercilessly electrocuted by Vlad’s troops seeking intelligence.

He said: “While they were carrying me. I kept asking them, ‘Finish me off. Just end it, but they didn’t.

“They used electric shocks on my open wounds a couple of times, and I started blacking out again.

“They stripped me, checked my wounds…..My buttock was shredded.

“Three hits to the head with a filled five litre plastic bottle. My hands were tied, my eyes were covered. That was their welcome. I fell, blacked out.

“They used electric shocks on my open wounds a couple of times, and I started blacking out again.

“The guards came in and asked us to recite the Russian national anthem.

“Those who didn’t know it were beaten until they couldn’t get up.”

As well as being horrifically beaten, the POW described how he had the words “Glory to Russia” burned on his skin whilst in captivity.

A disturbing photo emerged earlier this month showing the mutilated soldier.

The phrase, written in Russian, has been branded sideways onto his right flank in large, uneven letters.

Up the middle of the tortured soldier’s torso is another thick, livid scar ragged by rough stick marks.

He also has a tube fitted into his stomach, and another area of major scarring on his left flank.

Referring to the moment he woke up in hospital after the grim procedure he recalled:

“[A Russian nurse told me] Don’t worry, when you get home you can remove it or get a tattoo over it.

“I had no idea what she was talking about. Absolutely none.”

A week later, when his dressing was being changed by two Russian guards, he said he “gasped” when he saw his stomach for the first time.

He said: “I lifted my head just to look at my stomach and there it was ‘Glory to Russia’ burnt into my skin with a medical cautery tool. The surgeon did this to me.”

When asked how he reacted to the gruesome discovery, Pereverzev told Kyiv-based project UNITED24:  “I said, you’re all bastards. I’ll shoot every one of you.”

He was later beaten up, with one soldier “poking” his wounds with his finger.

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He said he ‘gasped’ when he woke up to see his scars[/caption]

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Ukrainian prisoners of war celebrate their return home following a prisoner swap on Tuesday[/caption]

“It hurt like hell,” he said.

Pereverzev also described another occasion when he was brutally tortured during an interrogation.

He recalled: “One guy was sitting at a table typing on a laptop while the other one was torturing me.

“He kept hitting me on the ears, punching the back of my head using a stun gun on me.

“They asked me where my wound was. I pointed to my leg.

“They ripped off the bandage and started electrocuting me right there directly into the wound. That went on for about 40 minutes.”

Following his release, the Ukrainian POW also told how prisoners would often get wired to an old Soviet phone and their bodies surged with electricity.

The sick torture tactic – dubbed “Calling Putin” — has been known to inflict 80-volt electric shocks into the genitals of captives.

He said: “It’s basically a regular old phone. Two wires are connected to it like clamps, and they can attach them to any part of your body.

“Then they crank the phone handle, lift the receiver, and there is this old Soviet style rotary dial on it.

“The higher the number, you dial from 0 to 9, the stronger the electric current.

“And with each number, the power increases a lot.”

Last year there were reports of “Calling Putin” torture used on suspects in the Crucus City Hall massacre in which 145 died and 551 were wounded.

In this case, Russian interrogators used a TA-57 military telephone attached to the suspect’s genitals.

When he finally returned home, Pereverzev said he had lost 35lbs and his nine-year-old daughter didn’t recognise him.

“I promised her then that no matter what condition I’d be in. Even without arms, without legs, I’d still come back,” he said.

East2West

He said his daughter didn’t recognise him when got home[/caption]

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IT WAS an excellent weekend for Team Padraig Harrington with even his dog Rio enjoying the sweet taste of success.

The Irish golf legend claimed the US Senior Open title for a second time by holding off the challenge of Stewart Cink and Miguel Angel Jimenez respectively.

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The tournament was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado[/caption]

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A welcome treat given Colorado is going through a mini-heatwave[/caption]

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Son Ciarán and wife Caroline were there to support him and caddie Ronan Flood in their efforts[/caption]

In the aftermath of his latest major triumph, the Rathfarnham native shared an amusing video of Rio cooling off with an ice pop.

He captioned it: “A celebratory ice pop for Rio. Peanut butter and banana.”

Fans of the two-time British Open winner congratulated him whilst also looking forward to next month’s edition which will be held at Royal Portrush in Antrim.

Stephen hailed: “Congrats Padraig, great champion of the game. Hopefully keep playing great for Portrush too!”

Meanwhile Bryson (not DeChambeau) added: “Well done Padraig & Rio. Great win!”

Lastly, while thinking of Padraig’s other dog, Ron joked: “Hopefully you made things right with Maltbie.”

In winning the tournament, Harrington earned a payday of $800,000.

He had been tied heading into the last round after a 68 on Saturday – the same as Australia’s Mark Hensby and American Cink.

But the Stackstown icon held his nerve despite a tense final hole at Broadmoor Golf Club.

He carded a three under par 70 final round, which saw him finish on a total of 11 under par.

His score was enough to pip his friend Cink to the title by one stroke, with Jimenez a further shot back after a stunning seven under round of 63.

It was the 2024 Golf Hall of Fame inductee’s tenth Senior’s Tour title. Afterwards an elated Harrington told RTE: “Here I’m comfortable.

“Look, here I’m not thinking I’m going to miss the cut. Touch wood that doesn’t happen.

“I’m not thinking about that. If you brought me to a regular event Thursday afternoon I would be thinking about the cut line.

“Whereas here I’m thinking how do I get myself into position. And even the first couple of days I got going and I could have got away from the field.

“I dropped back a couple (shots). I was still going. All I want to be is with nine holes to go to give myself a chance and be in the right head space at that time.”

MIGUEL’S MISHAP

Third-placed Jimenez rued his approach on the 18th as he ultimately ran out of holes to reel in Harrington’s lead.

Reflecting on his costly bogey, he vented: “If I had a chance to get on the green, I would go for that.

“But as I was talking with my caddie, ‘OK, maybe you can pass the water, but we cannot do anything from there. Is it worth the risk?’

“Then I still need to go, but he’s right. Then make not a bad wedge where I hit it after.

“I went high left, more or less, pin high and missed it, but at least give myself a chance to make 4. But if I put it in the water, bye-bye.”

STUDENT star Oliver Tarvey aced his first Wimbledon exam – to set up a potential round two magic match-up with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Tarvet, 21, is the lowest-ranked player in the men’s draw, standing a lowly 733 in the world and just 33rd in the British ladder.

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Brit Oliver Tarvet raced into the second round of Wimbledon[/caption]

His status as an amateur student at the University of San Diego means he is restricted to earning just £10,000 in prize money every year – although he can spend extra cash on his support team.

Maybe it was a book on accounting that he picked up to read between games – although perhaps it was a guide on keeping calm when his opponent is losing it with the umpire, as Swiss Leandro Riedi did under the broiling sun.

Doubtless Tarvet will be asked to clarify later.

But while the straight sets 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over the whinging Swiss would otherwise be worth £99,000, the bigger prize is the chance to walk out on either Centre Court or No1 on Wednesday against the Spanish reigning king of SW19.

Tarvet showed real maturity, too, on his Grand Slam debut – as Riedi went loco with his home opponent AND the umpire.

After Tarvet had taken the opener in 45 minutes, taking one against the serve in the ninth game, he broke Riedi to love in the third game of the second set.

That sparked an angry reaction at the changeover as Riedi implicitly accused Germany umpire Miriam Bley of favouring the St Albans-born Tarvet.

While Tarvet sat on his chair, Riedi moaned about him taking too long between points, then ordering Bley ““do something about it”.

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The row ignited when Riedi stared at the umpire, suggesting her lack of action was “because he’s British”, suggesting the chair official was not impartial.

When Bley stated “I’m not British”, Riedi answered back: “I don’t care”.

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And that brought a stern rebuke: “I would be careful with statements like that.”

Riedi continued to chunter as the home fans warmed to the task under the blistering sun, cries of “Oliver” – in both British and American accents.

They were interspersed with shouts of “Gareth” from his team – a nickname relating to his resemblance to former Spurs, Real Madrid and Wales superstar Gareth Bale.

Tarvet, keeping cool by using an iced towel around his neck at every opportunity, held his nerve again to serve out to double his advantage and leave himself one set from victory.

And when the Swiss went long on Tarvet’s second break point in the seventh game, it was a matter of the Brit holding his nerve and his serve.

Target did exactly that, successive aces bringing three match points, and sealing the deal as Riedi sent a backhand well beyond the baseline.

After a one-handed salute he went to the other side of the net, clenching both fists and punching the air before rushing to the end of the court and hugging his entire support team.

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The Hertfordshire star dumped out fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi 6-4 6-4 6-4 on Court 4[/caption]

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Tarvet must forego his prize money as a college player in the USA[/caption]

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Tarvet took in the adulation of the home crowd after securing victory[/caption]

THIS is the shocking moment a fire rips through a skyscraper – as high-tech drones swoop in to battle the blaze.

Multiple firefighting drones swarm the 500ft building in southeastern China during an intense fire drill.

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High-tech firefighting drones tackle a fire in a 500ft building[/caption]

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Made of carbon fiber, these drones can spray foam or water as far as 100 feet[/caption]

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Each drone can carry up to 770 pounds of water[/caption]

The fire drill took place in a skyscraper in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Dramatic footage from June 24 shows flames sweeping through multiple floors as thick smoke billows around the building.

Red drones are seen blasting water or foam at the building with force.

Each one appears to be targeting a different floor and spraying at a sharp horizontal angle.

Made of carbon fiber, these drones can carry up to 770 pounds of foam or water, spraying it as far as 100 feet.

They operate at altitudes over 656 feet and can run continuously thanks to a tethered power and fluid supply.

It’s unclear whether the building on fire was built specifically for safety drills, has been abandoned or is currently in use as an office or apartment block.

But this is just one of several recent innovations coming out of China.

It comes as China recently put out to sea the world’s largest cargo ship.

The 1,310-ft-long vessel is said to be capable of holding a whopping 220,000 tonnes of goods and stacking 24,000 containers.

Footage shows the monstrous vessel – built in just 17 months – ripping through the ocean.

Named the CMA CGM SEINE, the vessel was delivered from its Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai in April.

The ship has a fuel bunker with a capacity of 18,600 cubic metres of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), allowing it to travel nearly 20,000 nautical miles when fully loaded.

While dubbed the “sea monster”, this ship is actually more environmentally friendly than traditional oil-powered vessels.

It emits 20 percent less carbon dioxide, 85 percent fewer nitrogen oxides and 99 percent less particulate matter and sulphur oxides.

China’s goal in building these giants vessels is reportedly to reduce logistic costs, make global shipping greener and increase its connectivity to other parts of the world.

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A high-tech firefighting drone seen from up close[/caption]

WITH summer in full swing and the weather heating up, there’s no better time to stock up on picky bits.

And luckily for foodies, M&S have really come through with a new selection of snacks that are perfect for warm days.

Abigail Wilson

With picnic season finally here, if you’re searching for snacks that are mouth-wateringly good, you’ve come to the right place[/caption]

Abigail Wilson

Here, Abby Wilson shares her honest thoughts on the new M&S picky bits[/caption]

Abigail Wilson

You won’t want to miss these new £3.50 dips[/caption]

Abigail Wilson

There’s one flavour of crisps that’s a 10/10, but another Abby would leave on the shelf[/caption]

So if you can’t be bothered to cook dinner tonight and aren’t sure what to buy that will leave you feeling satisfied, look no further.

Not only has the new M&S Strawberry Sandwich proved a hit with many, but now, social media users are scrambling to get their hands on the brand-new viral crisps and dips which start at just £3. 

Following on from their previous viral dips, which included sell-out flavours – New York Deli Pastrami Dip, Chicken Caesar Dip and the Whipped Herby Greek Feta Dip – M&S have now added some new must-try versions to their fridges – and they are sure to get your mouth watering.

Shoppers can now tuck into the Chicken Shawarma and Cheesy Ploughman’s Dip, both of which are advertised as perfect for “park days, picky teas and picnic vibes.”

Here, Fabulous’ Senior Writer Abby Wilson, a self-proclaimed M&S superfan, managed to fill her basket not only with the new delicious dips, but also a selection of other unmissable savoury winners.

So if you can’t decide which buys you should nab or leave on the shelf, you’ll need to listen up, as this foodie shares her honest thoughts…

M&S not only sell over 70million pots of nibbles and dips every year, but have since received the title of “the undisputed home of picky bits” and I can certainly see why.

Calling all dip lovers – if you can’t get enough of crisps and dips and are on the hunt for a new snack that’s bound to go down a treat this summer, M&S have got you covered.

I have one very simple word to describe the two new loaded dips – unreal.

The Topped Chicken Shawarma Dip is spiced, creamy and succulent, while the Topped Ploughman’s Dip is a yummy statement on a British favourite.

Both of which are £3.50 and are certainly worth the cash – you can expect unique and unmissable flavours in dips you’ve never seen before on the high street. 

While the Chicken Shawarma dip contains marinated pulled chicken and tangy pickled red onions, the Ploughman’s buy is full of chutney, tender pulled ham hock and crunchy silverskin onions.

Not only are they great with crisps, but they’re so good they could even work as a sandwich filler too. 

And it’s not just loaded dips that M&S have nailed this season – there’s also a collection of other dips that are spot on too.

The Extra Smooth Houmous is just £3 and is one of the nicest I’ve tried – it’s simple but packed with flavour and very smooth.

Meanwhile, the Middle Eastern-inspired Labneh Dip has a vibrant basil and mint dressing and is crafted with creamy strained yoghurt. 

It’s brilliant with breadsticks and is almost too good – so if you’re trying to watch your waistline, buy it at your own risk.

Another dip that gets a solid thumbs up from me is the Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip.

It’s quite similar to M&S’ other new dip – the Roasted Red Pepper and Aubergine Dip (both of which are £3.50 each) – but the walnut version takes the top spot thanks to its rich, nutty flavour. 

I have one very simple word to describe the two new loaded dips – unreal

Abby Wilson

And if you want crunchy crisps that not only scream luxury but will pair perfectly with these dips, M&S have got you sorted. 

While I wasn’t a fan of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Crisps with Serrano Ham, the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Crisps with Black Truffle are delicious.

They have a strong taste of truffle but are not too overpowering, and get a solid 10/10 rating from me.

The crisps are also available in Mediterranean Sea Salt, which have a pretty average taste but I believe will be a crowd-pleaser.

The crisps are all £3.75 a bag, so they’re certainly not cheap, but they’re said to contain “exceptional-quality potatoes”, which ensure delicate, golden crisps, that are great for dipping (or dunking in my case.) 

Next up in the chain’s new summer snack selection are the Mature Cheddar and Marmite Sausage Rolls.

I was so surprised by these – I’m not a fan of Marmite, but these are truly phenomenal.

The cheesy flavour is out of this world and the sausage isn’t gristly like many supermarket sausage rolls often can be.

They’re so good I scoffed one in a matter of seconds, but could easily eat the whole pack in just a few minutes – and at £3.80, while they’re not that purse-friendly, they’re certainly worth every penny. 

As well as tasting divine, if you ask me they’re actually better than the cult favourite ‘Best Ever Sausage Roll’, which is also from M&S and sets shoppers back an eye-watering £5.50.

The Dressed Giant Butterbeans is a random idea but it definitely works

Abby Wilson

But the M&S deluxe picky bits don’t stop there – shoppers can also nab the new M&S Grilled Turkish Green Olives and the Spanish Mini Fuet (a type of pork sausage) and Cheese.

They’re tasty but both pretty basic and I’m not totally convinced I can say they’re worth £4 and £3.90 each. 

Meanwhile, the Dressed Giant Butterbeans is a random idea but it definitely works.

If you hate parmesan and can’t stand garlic then these aren’t for you, but if you want something that’s rich and perfect paired on a platter with pork pies and cold cuts of meat, this £3.90 should go straight in your basket. 

But you’ll need to move fast if you want to stock up on these picky bits, as like all M&S finds, once they go viral on TikTok, they’re sure to sell out quickly. 

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Abigail Wilson

The Giant Butterbeans might seem random, but they taste amazing[/caption]

Abigail Wilson

The Houmous is super smooth, while the Red Pepper & Walnut Dip is out of this world[/caption]

MILLWALL have been fined £15,000 by the FA after their fans made homophobic chants towards Chelsea star Ben Chilwell.

Lions supporters were heard shouting a homophobic slur during their FA Cup clash at Selhurst Park in March while the left-back was on loan at Crystal Palace.

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Chilwell was at the receiving end of homophobic chants from Millwall fans[/caption]

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Millwall fans were slammed by the FA for their behaviour[/caption]

Rex

FA big-wigs have also put the Championship club on an “extended action plan” which requires them to do more work to eradicate all forms of discrimination.

The chants were directed at Chilwell in the fifth and 20th minutes of a fiery fifth-round tie that Palace ran out 3-1 winners.

Millwall supporters were also slammed by the FA for chanting “Let him die” at Palace star Jean-Philipe Matata while he lay stricken on the ground after a horror challenge from keeper Liam Roberts, who was sent off.

Matata needed 10 minutes of treatment before being taken to hospital with a nasty gash on his head that required 25 stitches.

The Millwall keeper later apologised to Matata for his tackle.

While the South London club were condemned by the FA for their fans’ behaviour at Selhurst Park, they did praise and accept their efforts in tackling discrimination.

In a written statement the FA said the Lions “exceed the requirements” set out for clubs to be anti-discriminatory and said they should be encouraged to continue this work.

The FA’s extended action plan for Millwall covers communication ahead of games about their stance on anti-discrimination, sending their own stewards to high-risk games and ensuring they have an equality, diversity and inclusion committee.

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They also want the Lions to put together an article each month to summarise their community and EDI work.

A Lions spokesman said: “Millwall FC condemns all forms of discrimination and acknowledges the FA’s decision.

“The club will continue to do all it can to tackle discriminatory abuse through its equality steering committee and dedicated anti-discrimination campaign All ’Wall.

“The term ‘Chelsea rent boy’ is officially recognised as a homophobic slur and is condemned by the club.

“Since January 2022 the chant has been classified as a prosecutable offence by the Crown Prosecution Service for anyone found using it. Anyone identified in doing so will be banned.

“The club reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of discrimination. Such behaviour has no place in society and is entirely at odds  with the values Millwall stands for.

Orlando Pirates have just signed their NINTH player, according to reports from a reputable insider. Here's all NINE new Bucs stars.

LOVE Island fans will be on the edge of their seats tonight thanks to the return of the show’s most controversial and sizzling game – The Heart Rate Challenge.

The islanders will be turning up the heat in the villa by stripping off to an array of saucy outfits in a bid to excite the opposite sex.

Shutterstock Editorial

The Love Island Heart Rate Challenge is back tonight[/caption]

The fan favourite sees each of the girls performing their sexiest moves on the lads before the tables are turned.

The boys will then get their go at trying to make the girls’ hearts race.

Shakira is first to hear of the news after receiving a text that says: “Islanders, it’s time to get each others’ pulses racing in tonight’s Boys vs Girls challenge. #HeartthrobMode #BootyandBeats.”

CHELSEA have paid Brighton a whopping £257MILLION over the last few years – enough money to build THREE stadiums.

The Blues have pinched 14 players and staff members – the latest being £55million striker Joao Pedro – from their Premier League rivals since Todd Boehly took over as co-owner and chairman in 2022.

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Chelsea are closing in on a £55m deal for Joao Pedro[/caption]

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Pedro will join the long list of people to join Chelsea from Brighton in recent years[/caption]

Young stars Zak Sturge and Shumaira Mheuka became the first players to make the switch in the summer window, just over a month into the Boehly era.

Full-back Marc Cucurella then followed in a £62m transfer.

Then, Chelsea went for Brighton‘s head coach, Graham Potter.

Boehly had made the decision to sack Thomas Tuchel just a few weeks into the 2022-23 season, with Potter viewed as the perfect man to lead the club forward long-term.

As part of a deal with Brighton, whereby the Blues paid in excess of £21m in compensation, Potter was joined by five staff members – Billy Reid, Bjorn Hamberg, Bruno Saltor, Ben Roberts and Kyle Macauley.

However, the 50-year-old was dismissed after just seven months, with everyone bar Macauley and Roberts following him.

In December 2022, Paul Winstanley became another person to swap the Amex Stadium for Stamford Bridge when he was appointed sporting director.

Chelsea were forced to pay out another compensation package as a result.

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And in February 2024, Sam Jewell made the switch to lead the club’s global scouting network and take charge of player negotiations.

Jewell’s arrival in west London saw him become the eighth staff member to complete the move from Sussex.

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Chelsea paid in excess of £21 to sign Graham Potter and his staff from Brighton in 2022[/caption]

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Moises Caicedo set the Blues back £115m[/caption]

One of Chelsea’s most expensive signings also came from Brighton.

The Blues forked out £115m to sign Moises Caicedo from the Seagulls in August 2023 after fighting off interest from Liverpool.

That same month, they also sealed a £25m deal for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

While Caicedo has impressed, Sanchez is now at risk of losing his No1 spot after struggling at Stamford Bridge.

Now in line to join the five players who have taken the Brighton to Chelsea pathway is Joao Pedro.

Enzo Maresca and Co beat Newcastle to a deal for the striker at the weekend.

The 23-year-old is now expected to complete the £55m switch in the coming days.

Once the deal is finalised, Chelsea would have spent roughly £257m on Brighton players and personnel over the last three years.

That is almost enough money to fund the construction of THREE more Amex Stadiums.

As well as Pedro, the UEFA Conference League winners are also closing in on a £55.5 deal for Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens.

The 20-year-old has been pushing for a move to London since the start of the transfer window.

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Chelsea have spent roughly £257m on Brighton players and personnel – almost enough money to fund the construction of THREE more Amex Stadiums[/caption]