Gozo is the first-ever Utah native to arrive in England’s Premier League
SANDY, Utah (Tuesday, August 18, 2026) – Real Salt Lake has reached an agreement to transfer RSL Academy product, Homegrown winger and U.S. Youth National Team standout Zavier Gozo to Crystal Palace, a London-based English Premier League club and one of 20 clubs competing at the highest level of the English football league system.
The terms of the club-record transfer are undisclosed. Real Salt Lake will retain a significant percentage of any future transfer fee for Gozo.
“Watching Zavier grow from our Academy into the player he is today has been a privilege for everyone at Real Salt Lake,” said RSL Sporting Director Kurt Schmid. “He earned this opportunity through his relentless work ethic and character. This milestone is first and foremost a credit to his dedication, alongside the steady support of the teammates, coaches and staff who shared in his journey through the Academy, Monarchs and first team. We are incredibly proud of Zavier and excited for his future.”
Born in West Valley City and raised in Eagle Mountain, Utah, Gozo was named RSL’s lone representative at the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, becoming the 13th all-time RSL player selected in the Club’s 22-year history. Entering the match as a substitute in the 63rd minute, he became the youngest RSL All-Star at 19 years, four months and two days old. Gozo also reached the finals of the All-Star Skills Challenge’s “Crossbar” competition.
“It’s difficult to put into words what this Club, the fans and this community mean to me,” said Gozo on Friday, prior to his departure for London, in an interview with RSL. “As a Homegrown kid from Utah, Real Salt Lake has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. This is home. This is where I grew up. This is where I learned what it means to work, to sacrifice, to believe and to wear this crest with pride.
“No matter where this game takes me, Utah will always be part of who I am. Thank you to the front office, coaches and staff for their dedication to my development and the Miller family for their investment in the Club and in me.”
Gozo departs for the start of the Premier League season and midway through the 2026 MLS season as RSL’s goal-contribution leader, with six goals and five assists in 16 appearances. His five combined game-winning goals and assists this season place him second all-time, three behind Diego Fagundez’s mark of eight game-winning contributions in 31 games for the 2013 New England Revolution.
Gozo has etched his name into the RSL record books several times this season. On May 13, he became the youngest player in Club history to score twice in a match, recording a brace in a 3-0 home victory over Houston at 19 years and 54 days old.
During his breakout 2025 MLS campaign, Gozo was ranked No. 10 in Major League Soccer’s annual “22 Under 22” list, as selected by an expert panel of MLS coaches, sporting directors, coaches, select media and Apple MLS talent. He scored his fourth goal of the season on Sept. 17 at America First Field against LAFC with an athletic, acrobatic inverted volley, and recorded his first multi-assist match in RSL’s 2-1 home victory over Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 13.
Gozo appeared in 27 of RSL’s final 29 matches overall in 2025, missing two matches while on duty with the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team. He made his MLS debut in October 2023 at the LA Galaxy after balancing RSL Academy, Real Monarchs and U.S. Youth National Team commitments during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Gozo scored his first MLS goal on May 24, 2025, against Vancouver, 50 seconds after the opening whistle—the seventh-fastest goal in RSL history—and added his second MLS goal as insurance in a 2-0 home victory over D.C. United on June 14, 2025.
A product of RSL’s developmental pathway, Gozo scored six goals in 26 appearances for Real Monarchs during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He has also recorded three goals in 14 appearances for the United States U-20s, including a game-winning goal against France and three assists in the group stage. Gozo remains age-eligible for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“Words defy the impact this young man has had on our Academy and our Club, serving as such a shining example of our developmental paradigm,” said RSL Assistant Sporting Director and former RSL player Tony Beltran, who has worked closely with the Academy for nearly seven years. “We ask our athletes to embrace academics, citizenship and soccer—in that order—and Zavier’s rise has exhibited those principles, inspiring all of his teammates, both young and old.
“Speaking for everyone in and around Real Salt Lake, we could not be prouder of Gozo for his work ethic, determination and skill to actualize this dream. He knows that the state of Utah will always be home for him, supportive of his ascendancy. How lucky is RSL to have someone who makes saying goodbye so hard.”
TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake (Major League Soccer) transfers FW Zavier Gozo to Crystal Palace (English Premier League) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, with terms of the transfer undisclosed. Real Salt Lake will retain a significant percentage of any future transfer fee for Gozo.
About Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, a member of Major League Soccer since 2005, plays its home matches at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The club won the MLS Cup in 2009 and continues to establish itself as one of North America's most recognized organizations thanks to its successful player development system, led by the RSL Academy and Real Monarchs, which have produced numerous players for the first team, national teams, and international leagues.
