A key member of the U.S. men's national soccer team is on the move months before the 2026 World Cup kicks off this summer.
La Liga club Villarreal and Orlando City of MLS are in agreement on a transfer for defender Alex Freeman, according to multiple reports.
ESPN was the first to report this development.
Orlando City will receive a transfer fee worth at least $4 million, according to ESPN and The Athletic. Freeman's contract with Orlando City was set to expire following the 2026 MLS season, but now the team receives compensation for a player it helped develop into a national team regular.
Freeman, the son of former NFL wide receiver Antonio Freeman, became a full-time starter for Orlando City in 2025, appearing in 29 matches and starting 26. Freeman parlayed the playing time into his first appearances for coach Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT, making his national team debut on June 7 in a 2-1 loss to Turkey. Freeman went on to make 13 appearances for the USMNT in 2025, including scoring two goals in the team's 5-1 win over Uruguay on Nov. 19.
As a result of his impressive play for both club and country, Freeman appears to be a lock to make Pochettino's 26-player roster for the 2026 World Cup.
At Villarreal, Freeman will join a Spanish club that currently resides in fourth place behind table-toppers Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. Villarreal also is competing in the UEFA Champions League, but has been eliminated with one more match to play during the league phase.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alex Freeman to move from Orlando City to Villarreal before World Cup
