Barcelona forward Pedro is reportedly close to joining Manchester United but Hristo Stoichkov is against the move.
Former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov hit out at Louis van Gaal, insisting he would never play for the Manchester United manager, in an attempt to convince Pedro to remain at Camp Nou.
Spain international forward Pedro has been heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona and he is reportedly set to swap the La Liga champions for United in a bid for regular game time.
Speculation is rife that Pedro will link up with Van Gaal at Old Trafford following Tuesday's UEFA Super Cup clash against Sevilla.
But Bulgarian icon Stoichkov, a five-time La Liga winner and European Cup champion with Barca before falling out with Van Gaal in 1998, issued a warning to the want-away 28-year-old.
"I would never be under the orders of Van Gaal," the 49-year-old told Spanish radio Onda Cero. "He's mediocre.
"He destroyed Barca and is destroying Man Utd.
"With what he has done to goalkeeper [Victor] Valdes he has shown he is a bad person. Hopefully Pedro listens to me and doesn't leave."
This is not the first time Stoichkov has taken aim at the Dutch manager.
Stoichkov blamed Van Gaal for his Barcelona exit 17 years ago, branding his former boss as "scum" in an interview with French newspaper L'Equipe in March.
"I have no respect for him," Stoichkov said.
"One day, when I was injured, I was with my wife at Camp Nou and Van Gaal went up to her.
"He asked her how it was possible that she married someone like me. She responded that I was a Ballon d'Or winner.
"My departure in 1998 was the fault of Van Gaal, for sure."
Ideye, Anichebe may leave West Brom
After Jose Salomon Rondon was signed by West Brom, two of the club's strikers could make way.
West Brom duo Brown Ideye and Victor Anichebe could leave the club after Jose Salomon Rondon's arrival.
Rondon, a club-record £12million signing from Zenit, was ineligible for Monday's 3-0 Premier League loss to Manchester City.
But the signing of the 25-year-old is likely to lead to departures, with one of – or both – of Ideye and Anichebe potentially leaving.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis said he was unsure whether it would speed up the transfers.
"Obviously Victor and Browny - people will look at them and think they have to now move on, but I think they've wanted to play more regular football anyway," he said after the loss.
"The fact we're bringing Salomon in - does it hasten their move from the football club? We'll have to wait and see."
Pulis took responsibility for West Brom's loss as a Yaya Toure brace and Vincent Kompany goal saw City to a comfortable win.
The 57-year-old said he had erred in starting both Saido Berahino and Rickie Lambert.
"Sometimes as a manager, you hold your hand up," Pulis said.
"I wanted to play Saido and Rickie tonight, but it had gone against everything I've ever done against the bigger teams.
"We've always filled the midfield and been strong, what we did really in truth was allow [David] Silva too much room in the first half and he completely dominated the game, he controlled the game and I take responsibility.
"It's not the players, it's me on that one."
City will see the best of Toure, says Pellegrini
Yaya Toure bagged a brace as Manchester City opened their Premier League campaign with a 3-0 win at West Brom on Monday.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes fans will see midfielder Yaya Toure back at his best this season.
Toure scored twice as City kicked off their Premier League campaign with a routine 3-0 win against West Brom at The Hawthorns on Monday.
The Ivory Coast international opened the scoring in the ninth minute, albeit with some help from a deflection, before he guided a superb effort beyond WBA goalkeeper Boaz Myhill to double City's lead 15 minutes later.
Pellegrini heaped praise on the 32-year-old, who was uncharacteristically below par last season as City failed to retain their Premier League crown.
"I'm very happy for him and the team because he is a very important player for us," Pellegrini told reporters.
"I always said last season that it was a strange season for Yaya. He started with a lot of problems, the death of his brother and a lot of problems with his agent.
"So I think maybe he was not focused on what he had to do but we spoke long before the season and I am sure we are going to see the same Yaya as two seasons ago."
Toure looked set to depart Manchester at the end of 2014-15, with Inter and Paris Saint-Germain both interested, having signalled his intention to leave after coming in for heavy criticism.
The Ivorian's agent, Dimitri Seluk, also felt his client was made a scapegoat, despite scoring 10 goals in 29 appearances for City during their unsuccessful title bid last term.
Pellegrini added: "I don't think Yaya deserved the amount of criticism he received last season. Maybe it was not his best season but he did not play as bad as people said.
"I am sure last season that his head was not in the best moment."
Tottenham Hotspur step up interest in Javier Hernandez and Saido Berahino
According to the Evening Standard, Spurs are confident of signing at least one of the two strikers before the end of the summer transfer window.
Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be keen on bolster in forward line as he looks to take pressure of last season's top scorer Harry Kane.
Spurs are looking to take Hernandez on a season-long loan, but Manchester United are thought to be reluctant to give a player to a potential top-four rival.
Meanwhile, Berahino's future at West Bromwich Albion is said to be in doubt after Tottenham made an enquiry into his availability last month.
The North London outfit are expected to make an improved bid and could treble Berahino's current wages, should he move to White Hart Lane.
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