Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is not in the mood to lose sporting director Dougie Freedman.

The club's transfer mastermind is wanted by Manchester United, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe buys a 25 percent stake in the Old Trafford club.

United are assessing Freedman, Paul Mitchell, and other candidates to replace John Murtaugh.

Parish, 58, was asked about the topic on the Rest is Football podcast.

He replied: "You'd have to get inside the minds of those people, wouldn't you? There's certainly I don't think been any conversations, but it's very flattering for the club.

"Totally [clubs get used to interest]. You guys live in the world where 50 per cent of the stories told in the media are true and 50 per cent aren't, it's just that we don't know which ones."

Parish continued: "He's been really important for us. If you're going to do this, you've got to do it with people that you like to start with as there's so much pressure sometimes.

"He's a brilliant guy. He was the second manager I had at the club and he was instrumental in us getting promoted. If you want to watch the Amazon documentary, you will see the whole story about that.

"He's been instrumental. He got us promoted and he's got a real affinity to the club.

"Dougie works really hard and we've signed some really good players. Most importantly, with the transfer window, which is probably the hardest part of the job, it's fun being involved in that and doing all that with him. The fact he's being linked to clubs like that shows we're doing the right thing."