Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already broken a "golden rule" as part-owner of Manchester United by publicly criticising three of the club's current players, according to former chief scout Mick Brown. The INEOS kingpin hasn't held back in interviews since purchasing a 28.9 per cent stake in his lifelong club in February 2024, most recently speaking out earlier this month.
Sir Jim revealed to BBC Sport that, this summer, United owe £89million in transfer instalments for Andre Onana, Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund, as well as loanees Antony and Jadon Sancho. He added: "Some are not good enough, and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for and accountable for will take time. We've got this period of transformation where we move from the past to the future."
On one side of the fence, some United fans share the stance that it's refreshing to receive such regular, honest communication from a senior figure after 20 years of silence from the Glazer family.
Others have used his latest comments as more fuel for criticism over his series of unpopular decisions to improve the club's financial situation since taking charge of football operations.
Onana and Hojlund have indicated clear signs of a lack of confidence, while Casemiro is currently enjoying a resurgence in form and has shown nothing but class during his struggles at Old Trafford.
Brown, who gained plenty of expertise in dealing with club owners from his time as United's head scout, is among the latter, having been left baffled by Sir Jim's comments.
"They keep doing things that prove they don't know football. There are golden rules at United, and not criticising your own players in the press is one of them," Brown told Football Insider.
"That seems to have been completely thrown out of the window. You've got players who you're asking to put everything on the line for you to get results, but you're publicly slaughtering them in the press.
"You might think it, you might say it behind closed doors, but it should never be done in public.
"I do not get it; it's bizarre, and it defies every basic rule which has stood the test of time.
"It makes no sense to me how he can come out and name specific players when he's talking about them being overpaid when they're the ones paying them.
"Some of the players are still at the club – how do you want them to react to that?
"I know in some cases they didn't make the decision, but it's hard to have any sympathy for them if that's what they're after."