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This is Hudson River Blue’s NYCFC transfer tracker for the 2026 window – a living page updated with official club announcements, breaking news, and unverified social-media reports as they surface. Check back for updates throughout the summer.
Entry: Freese Linked to England, No Move Materializes
Date: September 1, 2026
Status: Unconfirmed report – no transfer completed
Matt Freese attracted interest from English clubs in both the Premier League and the second-division Championship during the summer transfer window, though nothing came of it before deadline day passed on Tuesday, according to amNewYork. Sky Sports was first to report clubs from England were kicking the tires on the NYCFC and USMNT goalkeeper, and amNewYork independently confirmed the interest existed. No club names, bid figures, or negotiation details have surfaced – this is interest, not an offer, and certainly not a deal.
That distinction matters here. The window closed with Freese still in Pigeons blue, which tracks given where his career has gone over the last two years. He’s 27 now, and it’s easy to forget he only became NYCFC’s bona fide No. 1 goalkeeper in 2024. Since then he’s racked up 22 clean sheets in 97 league matches, numbers that hold up against anyone else patrolling a box in MLS.
The national-team trajectory is the real driver of the noise. Freese made his senior USMNT debut in 2025, was runner-up for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year that same season, and started six matches at the 2025 Gold Cup as the U.S. finished as runners-up. He took over the No. 1 role from Matt Turner, and by the time this summer’s World Cup rolled around, Mauricio Pochettino had him as the established starter – four appearances in five matches, including two clean sheets. If that path sounds familiar, it’s the same buildup Hudson River Blue tracked as he climbed from fringe call-up to fixture in the American goal.
Why England Comes Calling
None of this is happening in a vacuum. American goalkeepers have long been the country’s most reliable soccer export, and England’s top two divisions have a specific history of shopping in that aisle. Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, and Brad Friedel all built significant chunks of their careers in England’s top flight, and more recently Turner went to Arsenal with loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. Even Turner’s 2022 World Cup backup, Ethan Horvath, cycled through Forest, Luton Town, Cardiff City, and Sheffield Wednesday before landing with Red Bull New York last winter – a pipeline this site has discussed before in the context of Freese’s own rising standing.
Here’s the snapshot behind the interest, for anyone who wants the numbers in one place:
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Age | 27 |
| NYCFC No. 1 since | 2024 |
| Clean sheets (last 4 MLS seasons) | 22 in 97 matches |
| 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year | Runner-up |
| 2025 Gold Cup starts | 6 |
| 2026 World Cup appearances | 4 of 5 (2 clean sheets) |
Whether English suitors circle back in a future window is anyone’s guess, and this site isn’t going to pretend to know more than what’s been reported. For now, Freese stays put, NYCFC keeps its starter, and the U.S. national team keeps building around a goalkeeper who’s gone from afterthought to genuine transfer-market conversation in the span of two seasons.
The post Freese Remains With NYCFC After English Clubs Show Interest appeared first on Hudson River Blue.
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