Zavier Gozo embraces discomfort as he seeks a bigger role at Crystal Palace

“You have to be uncomfortable to get to the highest levels”: Zavier Gozo sees that challenge as part of his task at Crystal Palace. Having lived only in Utah before moving to London, the American forward is now looking to earn more playing time in the Premier League.

The change of surroundings has come with a turning point in his football career. In May, Gozo had just learned that he was not among the 26 players selected by Mauricio Pochettino for the World Cup. He had also just made what proved to be his third-to-last appearance for boyhood club Real Salt Lake. Yet by the end of his time in MLS, he showed little fear. Since then, he has made his senior debut for the United States, earning his first cap a week before the point described in the interview, and begun getting Premier League minutes. He has also found a familiar face at Crystal Palace in international teammate Chris Richards; Richards’ young daughter has taken a liking to him, too.

Gozo acknowledged the scale of the change: “It’s a big change to go from Utah to London.” But having a compatriot at the club was not the main reason he chose Crystal Palace. He already followed the team and pointed to its recent successes in the FA Cup in 2025, followed by the Conference League and Community Shield in 2026. He also said he had noticed the club’s strong form and performances in Europe. Its record of developing players from its academy and from other clubs helped reassure him, while its place in the Europa League offered more opportunities to make an impression.

The forward sees the new environment as a chance to learn, even if adjusting to a different status can challenge his confidence. “I think the coaching staff believes in me and is bought into developing me and the talent that I have,” he said. He also described a different relationship with supporters than the one he had at Real Salt Lake: in London, he wants to win them over through what he does on the pitch.

To improve in the Premier League, Gozo wants to work on his physicality, using his body to protect the ball or win a foul, and making better decisions in tight spaces. At Crystal Palace, he has come off the bench three times in all competitions. The club signed Chris Richards in 2022, and the defender has since become an established presence for club and country. Gozo’s next step is to turn his appearances into more regular playing time as he continues to adapt to the league.