Zavier Gozo could be the next American import who wows the Premier League

Over the years, the Premier League has been graced by American imports who have had varying degrees of success. The likes of Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Brad Guzan, and Brad Friedel have all earned the distinction of being cult heroes for their clubs, and the new crop has also followed suit.

Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, and Chris Richards have all become household names in recent iterations of the American dream in the Premier League. However, none of them have captured the attention and the fancy of the Premier League faithful in a way that precocious talents from other nations have from time to time.

Well, that could finally change. Crystal Palace have the newest American addition to the Premier League, one who has been talked about a lot in the US soccer discourse in the past few months.

The Eagles have agreed a deal worth US$15 million with Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer to sign 19-year-old Zavier Gozo on a five-year contract. Gozo’s move is a testament to arguably one of the most rapid and meteoric rises of any American prospect, even faster than Christian Pulisic.

Gozo rose through the ranks quickly at Real Salt Lake, having enrolled in the academy in 2021 at the tender age of 14. His senior debut followed two years later, at right-wingback. He impressed everyone with a confidence on the ball that belied his young age, as well as with his directness and pace. He ended up playing 1,810 minutes in his debut season, managing a very creditable return of four goals and three assists to his name.

The following season saw the youngster push up the pitch as a pure winger, having been given the freedom and licence to operate in the attacking third. That saw his performances reach a whole new level, as his close control and ball-carrying ability kept growing in leaps and bounds. This season also brought about an uptick in his end product, with his six goals and five assists in much fewer minutes (1,417) showcasing a teenager ever keen to improve as a player.

Gozo’s uncanny ability to not only create a shooting opportunity for himself but also for his teammates stood out. In all, he created 67 progressive up-field carries, a number bettered in the league by Lionel Messi, Evander, Anders Dreyer, and Denis Bouanga. All of these names were part of the MLS Best XI last season. 

His performances gave Gozo an outside shot at being part of the USMNT for the World Cup, but his omission meant that he decided to make the move to European pastures.

With Gozo being a regular in the USA youth setup, he has ample time to make himself a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans in the coming years. For now, he’s walking into a Palace side that already has Chris Richards, and it goes without saying that training with him will get the eyes on him.

But for now, Zavier Gozo is that American import who is touted for great things. And given the way he is being spoken about, he could very well be the next American import who goes on to captivate the British audience for years to come.