Southampton and Millwall have expressed an interest in Orlando City defender Alex Freeman, The72 has been told.
Southampton and Millwall will be back in the same division in the 2024/25 campaign with the Saints dropping down from the Premier League while the Lions came up just short in their push for the play-offs.
Now under the management of Will Still, the Hampshire outfit will be eager to return to top flight at the first time of asking. For Alex Neil and his side, the goal will be to finally bridge the gap from the chasing pack to the top six spots.
Now, as the summer window nears, The72 has been told both Southampton and Millwall have eyes on Alex Freeman as a potential addition.
Sources have exclusively revealed that both the Saints and the Lions have expressed an interest in the 20-year-old right-back, who currently plays over in the MLS for Orlando City. The youngster has made his way into the club’s starting XI in an impressive breakthrough campaign Stateside.
Freeman has played 17 times across all competitions as a wing-back or full-back and has chipped in three goals and two assists along the way. He has played all 90 minutes in each of the last 14 MLS games.
Freeman is under contract with Orlando until December 2026, and it is said it could take £2m to get a deal done.
Freeman on the up
Freeman has emerged as a new standout for Orlando City over in the MLS after a promising young career. He has represented the United States at both U19 and U23 level to date.
Not only have his performances prompted interest from Southampton and Millwall, but Freeman recently earned a first call-up to Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT for their June training camp.
Among fellow MLS full-backs, Freeman tops the charts for goals, expected goals and shots. His tally of 25 chances creates ranks him in the top 2% too, though he isn’t one to shirk his defensive duties either.
Freeman has won 88 duels, another statistic he sits top of the chart of, and made 62 recoveries (all stats via FotMob
Right-back options at Southampton and Millwall
Southampton seem likely to be in the market for a new option on the right-hand side of defence with Kyle Walker-Peters due to depart when his deal expires. Yukinari Sugawara and James Bree remain on the books, but questions will be asked about their futures.
As for Millwall, Tristan Crama has impressed at right-back but is naturally a centre-back, so perhaps he will shift into a more familiar role next season. Danny McNamara is an option but he has been out with a long-term knee injury since January.
Freeman looks to be an exciting option for both sides as they assess potential transfer targets heading into the summer.
).
