Crystal Palace are in advanced talks to sign Zavier Gozo, with the Premier League club reportedly pushing to bring the 19-year-old Real Salt Lake defender to England for a fee of around £11 million.
The move would mark a major step for Gozo, who broke into the Real Salt Lake first team last season and has quickly built a reputation as one of the best young talents in MLS. Palace's interest suggests they see him as a player who could develop into a long-term addition rather than an immediate headline-grabbing arrival.
Why Crystal Palace want Gozo
Palace are looking to add Gozo after following his progress closely, and the reported deal would give them a young player with upside at a relatively significant price. The attraction is easy to understand: he is only 19, has already shown he can handle first-team football, and has produced end product as well.
In 2026, Gozo scored six goals and added four assists across 16 games, numbers that help explain why he has drawn strong interest from Europe. For a player still early in his career, that kind of output has made him stand out well beyond MLS.
Previous interest and the next step
Crystal Palace are not the first club to show serious intent. In January, Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa were keen on signing Gozo, but neither club were willing to meet the asking price at the time. That left the door open for another move later in the year.
Now Palace appear to be leading the chase, and the player himself has made it known that he would like the move. If the deal is completed, it would send one of MLS's most promising young players into the Premier League at a stage of his career when development still matters as much as immediate impact.
For Palace, the potential signing would be a forward-looking investment. For Gozo, it would be the chance to test himself at a higher level after a breakout run in the United States.
