USMNT prodigy Zavier Gozo is officially headed to Crystal Palace, sealing a five-year deal that pulls the 19-year-old phenom straight into the Premier League. This kid’s been an absolute force this season, already bagging six goals and four assists in just 16 games for Real Salt Lake, starting almost every single one of them until his final two matches where he wasn’t even in the squad. Talk about going out on a high note!
An Emotional Goodbye to His Home and Foundation
Gozo, a Utah native, has been with Real Salt Lake since 2021, making his MLS debut back in October 2023. It was last season when he really broke out, becoming a regular for the first team and putting up four goals and three assists across 32 games in all competitions. His raw talent even had some folks speculating he could be a surprise inclusion for Mauricio Pochettino’s FIFA World Cup roster, even though he hasn’t even made his senior international debut yet. On Tuesday, Real Salt Lake dropped a video where Gozo got real, saying goodbye to the team, the fans, and the state that raised him. “I think it’s hard to make this video and say these things to everyone that I love and this club that I love dearly,” he shared. He talked about how tough it is to leave a familiar place, where he felt “so much support and love and comfort.” He thanked “the fans, my teammates, my coaches, and everyone here in Utah,” adding that the love they gave him, he’ll “cherish for my whole life.” The lessons learned there, he said, “will always be my foundation, this will always be my home.” It’s clear this move wasn’t just a business decision, it was about following his heart. “Chasing your dreams is never easy, but you gotta choose your heart in life,” he declared, wrapping up his heartfelt message with, “So, I love you all and I’m so grateful for everything you guys have done for me.” You gotta respect that kind of emotion when making such a huge life leap.
Palace Gets a Dynamic Player Chasing a Dream
For Gozo, playing in the Premier League is “the dream of any footballer.” Now he gets to live it out with Crystal Palace. He told Palace TV he’s super excited by “the people and the project that Palace have going here,” especially how they plan to develop him and help him “get to where I want to be.” Sounds like a player who’s ready to put in the work, right? He describes himself as “a dynamic player,” who likes to “run in behind,” “run with the ball and dribble and shoot and score goals.” You love to hear that confidence! Gozo also mentioned having a “magnified look at Palace just because Chris [Richards] is here,” and all the buzz around that in the US. The recent success of the club also caught his eye, and he’s “excited to play and score some goals for this team.”
This move is huge for Gozo, and for US Soccer as a whole. Watching a 19-year-old take his electric MLS form straight to the Premier League? You know we’ll be tuning in. Here’s to seeing him light up the scoreboard for Crystal Palace!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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