Zavier Gozo completes club-record transfer from Real Salt Lake to Crystal Palace
The 19-year-old Utah native leaves behind a legacy unique to one as young as him.
SANDY, Utah — Utah native Zavier Gozo is headed to South London, the result of a long-term deal with a club-record transfer fee between Real Salt Lake and Crystal Palace reportedly worth close to $15 million that includes a “significant” sell-on percentage for the MLS club.
But before he left, the 19-year-old winger left a mark and a legacy on his boyhood club unique to the youngster’s age.
Born in West Valley and raised in Eagle Mountain, Gozo represents the good in the state of Utah. The first-ever Utah native selected to the MLS All-Star Game this past summer, Gozo is a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a hard-working soccer prodigy, and a U.S. youth international with eyes on breaking into Mauricio Pochettino’s first team prior to the 2030 FIFA men’s World Cup co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
But before Gozo formally left the club where he enrolled at the RSL Academy by his freshman year in high school, he penned a letter to RSL fans and Utahns everywhere, thanking them for the support of the hometown kid.
The letter is attached below, or read it here:
I just want to take a moment and say thank you.
It’s hard to put into words what this club, this state and this community mean to me. 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.
So many of you believed in me before the rest of the world knew my name. You saw me as a young kid chasing a dream, and you helped make that dream become reality.
My faith has guided me. My family has carried me. This club developed me. And this community gave me the belief that something bigger was possible.
From the academy to the first team, every coach, every teammate, every staff member and every fan has helped shape who I am today.
You pushed me, supported me and showed me what it means to represent Utah the right way.
I hope more kids across Utah give soccer a try, join their local teams and keep learning and growing this beautiful game. I also hope young athletes across this state can see that top talent is being developed right here in Utah, and that big dreams can grow from home. Thanks to the Miller family and Miller Sports and Entertainment for investing in the club and me personally.
Soccer has a special way of bringing people together, and that’s what I’ve felt here from the day I got to join my brother at the academy. Whether you’ve been part of this club forever or you just came to love the game recently, you’ve helped make this community feel bigger than the sport itself.
Now I have the opportunity to take the next step in my journey, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. This is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time. To keep chasing this dream, to test myself, to grow and to keep working toward becoming one of the best players in the world — that opportunity means everything to me.
But no matter where this game takes me, Utah will always be part of who I am. I could not have done this without you. I’ll always carry this place, these people and these memories with me.
Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for celebrating this dream with me. And please keep bringing that same love, passion and energy to Real Salt Lake, because this club is special and these players feel it every single day.
This is home.
 | A guest post by
|