It does not take much for a storm to brew at Manchester United.
Recent reports have suggested that should Sir Jim Ratcliffe finally secure a 25 per cent stake in the club as expected, Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman could be one of the first to follow him to Old Trafford as the billionaire plans to make major changes off the pitch.
Michael Edwards and Julian Ward, both previously at Liverpool, have also been linked, along with Paul Mitchell, who worked at Tottenham and Southampton with Mauricio Pochettino. However, it is Freedman's name that has provoked an agitated response from former United defender Rio Ferdinand.
"His name has come out of left field," Ferdinand told his Vibe with Five YouTube channel. "No disrespect, but I don't remember anyone saying 'wow, look at what Palace are doing'.
"Paul Mitchell, I get it, he has a history of doing good things and the same with Michael Edwards, Julian Ward at Liverpool.
"They have a body of successful work that is recognised, so has Dan Ashworth with England and then Brighton and now at Newcastle. You can understand that but nobody says that about Palace."
Maybe they should. Freedman's work has largely gone under the radar, perhaps due to his preference for keeping a low profile, but he has had a major impact at Selhurst Park. Having had a couple of spells at Palace as a player, he managed the club for almost two years after retiring before returning in the summer of 2017 as sporting director.
Ferdinand's review of his work since then is not particularly glowing. He said: "(Michael) Olise, (Eberechi) Eze and (Marc) Guehi are three players you look at that have been good signings but for every one of those, there are others that haven't worked."
Less than £50million was spent on bringing those three players to Palace, recruitment that should not be brushed over. Each of them are now crucial first-team stars and, should they be sold in upcoming windows, it would be no surprise if the club brought in a total close to £200m.Wilfried Zaha left as a free agent, but Freedman has largely helped Palace ensure the values of key players have been protected, something clubs towards the top of the table have not found easy in recent windows. Chelsea hoped to active Olise's £35m release clause in the summer but the Frenchman was persuaded to sign a new deal. Eze has signed a contract extension through to 2027.
It is easy to claim most could have spotted the ability of Olise and Eze in the Championship, but the fact remains that Palace were able to secure both and now have two of the most exciting young players in the Premier League tied down on long-term deals.
There is also enough evidence to answer any doubts over Freedman's talent identification. Joachim Andersen, who attracted interest from Tottenham, signed two years ago for a fee in the region of £20m, while Conor Gallagher starred at Selhurst Park when he was secured on loan for the 2021/22 campaign.
Cheick Doucoure, a £21m arrival in July 2022, was the supporters' Player of the Season last term and had a £70m valuation placed on him in the summer to ward off interest from Liverpool and PSG.
As Ferdinand suggested, it has not been all hits at Palace, as is the case at any club. Alexander Sorloth did not score a single Premier League goal after his £9m move, but the Eagles recouped much of that fee when selling to RB Leipzig. The 2021 arrivals of Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Phillipe Mateta have not brought consistent goals - a reliable striker is one area of recruitment that Freedman has struggled with.
That may sound alarm bells considering the issues at Old Trafford, but Palace sit 15th in a Premier League net spend table over the past five seasons. On a budget that would not excite many Premier League sporting directors, Freedman has an overall hit rate few would be disappointed with.
“This is one of the strengths of the football club: the sporting director who played at a high level, who understands the game, who understands the club and understands the demands of the fans," then Palace boss Patrick Vieira explained in April 2022 when discussing Freedman's importance.
Those traits have helped Freedman be a success in the familiar surroundings of Selhurst Park - it is unfair to suggest he could not do likewise with greater resources elsewhere.
