Villarreal Secures Transfer of Alex Freeman for $4 Million

omidbasir- Villarreal has reportedly secured the signing of Alex Freeman from Orlando City for an initial fee of $4 million. The agreement includes potential add-ons amounting to $3 million, while Orlando City will maintain a sell-on clause.

Freeman’s contract with Orlando City was due to expire at the end of the 2026 MLS season. The 21-year-old fullback had previously expressed his intention to remain in MLS until after the World Cup, but he will now transition to Spain to join Villarreal during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Athletic was the first to announce Freeman’s transfer. GOAL has reached out to both Orlando City SC and Alex Freeman for comments regarding this development.

At the start of 2025, Freeman aimed to compete for a starting position with Orlando City. By November, he had established himself as a regular member of the US Men’s National Team (USMNT), notably scoring two goals against Uruguay in the team’s final match of the calendar year, strengthening his case for World Cup selection.

Freeman reflected on his journey, stating, “It’s just been such a crazy seven months for me. Obviously, in March, having my first start to now being able to win [MLS Young Player of the Year], it just shows the kind of year I’ve had. I’m grateful for winning this award, but also just to be able to continue playing. I feel like this award isn’t going to stop me from trying to improve every day.”

He continued, “But I think just looking at where I was in March to now in October, it’s something that shows why it was such a memorable season for me.”

Before the 2025 season, Freeman had made only four senior appearances for Orlando City; however, he quickly ascended to prominence during the early months of the MLS season. By the summer, he had cemented his status as an MLS All-Star, finishing the season with six goals and three assists from the right-back position. On the international front, Freeman earned his first cap against Turkey ahead of the Gold Cup and went on to appear in 12 matches, scoring twice, including in the aforementioned game against Uruguay.

By signing with Villarreal, Freeman is set to join a well-established Spanish club that consistently competes in European soccer. After finishing fifth last season, Villarreal currently sits fourth in La Liga, just three points behind third-place Atletico Madrid, despite having played one match fewer. The club is also participating in the Champions League this season; however, they will not advance beyond the group stage even with a victory against Bayer Leverkusen this Wednesday.

Villarreal’s roster includes two former MLS players: Canadian internationals Tani Oluwaseyi and Tajon Buchanan.

Following their Champions League match with Bayer Leverkusen this week, Villarreal will turn their attention to Saturday’s La Liga fixture against Osasuna. On the USMNT front, Freeman is hopeful of being involved in March when the U.S. faces Belgium and Portugal in their final friendlies before manager Mauricio Pochettino finalizes the World Cup roster.