'Dribbles like a God' - Alex Freeman's stunning rise sparks Man City and Man Utd transfer talk as Villarreal and USMNT star prepares for PSG test

When Freeman made the decision to leave Orlando for Villarreal in January, he did so with intention. The physical gifts were obvious but, for him to make it to the elite level, he needed to refine the technical side. Villarreal gave him a chance to do that while playing at a high level in both La Liga and the Champions League.

It also forced him out of his comfort zone in more ways than one.

"When you go to places like this, you're always going to have, not doubts, but questions," he told GOAL in April. "It's about putting yourself first and risking yourself, right? Not only do you want to be a better player, but a better person. I moved so far away from home. I have to properly grow up now, right? I can't be a kid anymore. I can't get kid treatment."

To say he's grown up would be an understatement. After playing nine times down the stretch for Villarreal last season, Freeman has already featured 14 times this season, including in the Champions League. The squad has rotated plenty, but Freeman has often played in the big games. He's featured in each of the club's three European games so far. He also started and put in a Man of the Match-level performance against Real Madrid in a 1-0 loss, before scoring in that previously-mentioned derby win over Valencia.

Particularly in La Liga, the stats tell a story. His passing stats have him in the 84th percentile or better in chances created, line-breaking passes, long-balls, passes, and passing percentage. He's in the 90th percentile in successful dribbles and duels won. There are still areas to improve on the defensive side of the ball, but a recent sequence that included Real Madrid star Yan Diomande showed that Freeman has the raw athleticism to overcome some of those defensive shortcomings.

He arrived at Villarreal as a player known for that athleticism. That data says he's now significantly more complete. That's why transfer rumors are swirling so soon into his La Liga tenure.

Villarreal reportedly paid around $4 million to sign Freeman from Orlando last January. The rumor mill indicates that may get a lot more than that back sooner than most would have expected.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United are among the clubs interested in signing Freeman. Spurs, in particular, see him as a player that can slot right in as a replacement for Pedro Porro, who just won a World Cup with Spain this summer.

The big clubs are watching, no doubt, and there are surely some not on the last who will be taking a look as well. If Freeman continues to perform at his current level, the offers will roll in. The only question will be what makes the most sense.

Meanwhile, there is another side of the sport that Freeman will surely be focusing on: the international game. And, as this 2030 cycle begins, it appears he's going to be a massive part of it with the USMNT.

One of the defining images of the USMNT's World Cup run was the celebration after Freeman's goal against Australia. It was stop-start due to a VAR review, but it was iconic as every member of the U.S. team dashed from one side of the field to the other chasing Freeman the whole way.

After that game, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino heaped praise on Freeman, a player he had called up for the first time just one year prior for the Gold Cup.

"It's difficult to explain the evolution of him," Pochettino said. "He's such a humble guy. He has an amazing profile. He wants to learn, and he always listens. He's a player that you really enjoy being with him, not just coaching. He's an amazing player that, for me, has the potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world."

Pochettino will surely be seeing flashes that allow him to keep that belief. In the most recent camp, Freeman stepped into a leadership position, on and off the field. At just 22 years old, he now has 26 caps to his name, including multiple World Cup starts.

He featured in all four games in the first post-World Cup camp, starting three of them while taking on more responsibility at right-back. Freeman routinely stepped into more advanced positions than he was in the World Cup, and he regularly made the most of those positions. The best moment came when he did that against Canada to assist Justin Ellis' game-winner.

"I think I've come into more of a leadership role," Freeman said during the camp. "Maybe I'm not used to it, but it's something that just happened because of the way that this camp is structured. I feel like, for me, it's something that I have to take in and be able to be that guy that they can come to. Obviously being one of the young guys that has been here for a little bit, I might be one of the first people that they come to for advice. I just have to be ready to come in and, whenever they come to me, just be able to talk to them about anything they need."

At 23, Freeman is already speaking and playing like a veteran. He'll need to play that way on Tuesday in one of the biggest tests of his career.

After winning the big trophy in each of the last two seasons, PSG have been making short work of opponents this season. They recently put four past both Manchester City and Barcelona. Villarreal, most would say, have no chance.

Still, there's a game to be played, and Freeman will hope to play in it. He put in a strong shift against Real Madrid, showing that he can compete at that elite level. He may find himself playing at that level someday if those transfer rumors continue. For now, he's on the side of the underdog, the one hoping to cause an upset.

For Villarreal to cause one, they'll need to be perfect. From the goalkeeper right up to the striker, everything will need to go according to plan. In truth, it will likely need to go better than that. You can't plan for what it will take to beat PSG.

It would require something titanic, something powerful, something, perhaps, seeming blessed by the Soccer Gods. The good news is that the outside world believes Freeman may just fit the bill and, if he lived up to those descriptions on Tuesday, they'll have to start finding new ones for a player whose potential seems to get even higher every time he plays.

"I think me, being with the national team and me playing with Orlando and Villarreal, I think those moments kind of made me," Freeman told GOAL this summer. "As a player, I know that I can stick around with these guys. I have to be able to be 100 percent when I get in the game, knowing that when I play, I have to win all my battles. I have to be ready offensively, defensively, and kind of build that all-around overall game.

"For me, it's ‘How can I make my overall game into the attacking/defending fullback that you see nowadays?’ It's being able to be 100 percent on the field and think I am the best, knowing that that kind of confidence is what's going to allow me to be better."