Mike Watters / Imagn Images
By Tom Bogert
Jan. 26, 2026Updated Jan. 27, 2026 12:22 am EST
Villarreal has agreed a deal with Orlando City to sign U.S. international defender Alex Freeman, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
Orlando will receive an initial fee worth north of $4 million plus another $3 million in add-ons to take the potential total fee up past $7 million and, crucially, Orlando retains a sell-on clause, sources add. Freeman will join Villarreal immediately. His contract was set to expire at the end of 2026.
Freeman seemed set on joining Villarreal on a free transfer when his contract expired, as Orlando made several offers for new contracts to make Freeman a U-22 initiative player, but the player had his heart set on Europe. Orlando striking a deal now nets the club some financial windfall rather than losing him on a free transfer. Freeman also wanted the club to receive a fee rather than leave for free.
The 21-year-old is a product of Orlando City’s academy. He made his senior USMNT debut in June and then appeared in his country’s final 12 games of the year, becoming a stalwart under Mauricio Pochettino.
Freeman, the son of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman, only made four first-team appearances with Orlando prior to 2025. He quickly won the starting right back job under Óscar Pareja and established himself a crucial player, one of the best right backs in the league and catching the eye of a number of European clubs.
Freeman has had an uncanny knack for goals from his position, scoring six times last year for Orlando and twice already for the USMNT – both against Uruguay in a 5-1 rout last November. He had eight goals and nine assists in 26 appearances for the club’s second team in 2024 as well.
He’ll join another former MLS standout at Villarreal, which signed Canadian international forward Tani Oluwaseyi from Minnesota United in the summer.
The club sits fourth in La Liga with 41 points after 20 matches and is currently participating in the UEFA Champions League, though it will be eliminated after the league phase concludes, having netted just one point from its seven matches thus far.