Freeman’s Debut with Villarreal Marks New Chapter in Career

Freeman transferred to Villarreal in January for a fee of $4 million, including potential add-ons, leaving behind Orlando to join the Spanish club. Shortly after his arrival, he was named on the bench for Villarreal’s 2-2 draw against Osasuna but did not participate in the match.

However, he made his official debut on Monday during a match where Villarreal already led 4-0. Freeman entered the game in the 73rd minute, alongside fellow former MLS player Tani Oluwaseyi, who previously played for Minnesota United.

In his limited time on the field, Freeman was notably active, successfully completing 11 out of 12 passes, contributing one clearance, and winning one of his two duels. Nevertheless, he was unable to prevent Espanyol from scoring their only goal, which came in the 88th minute from a flicked-on header.

Freeman replaced Santiago Mourino, who has been the starting right-back for Villarreal since the beginning of the year.

After an impressive 2025 season where he emerged as a key player during the Gold Cup, Freeman is now in contention for a spot on the upcoming World Cup roster. The 21-year-old right-back delivered a standout performance in the USMNT’s final match of 2025, scoring twice in a 5-1 victory over Uruguay, marking his first two international goals.

Looking ahead, Freeman is eager to participate in the March training camp, where the U.S. team will face Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta, serving as the final preparatory matches before Mauricio Pochettino finalizes his World Cup squad.

With the victory on Monday, Villarreal currently sits fourth in La Liga, tied on points with third-place Atletico Madrid but trailing on goal difference. Their next challenge will be a match against 11th-place Getafe on Saturday.