Technically
Gozo has come a long way in his technical development. Early on, he relied too much on pace and power. Around age 17, there was genuine concern about whether his touch and close control would be good enough for him to become anything more than a solid MLS player. But in 2025 he turned a corner. His first touch, close control and dribbling arsenal became much cleaner and more consistent. That really unlocked him in MLS, and he became a difference-maker for Real Salt Lake midway through the season.
He still has a ways to go. To be honest, he'll have moments that frustrate fans. He'll take a loose touch here and there, but he's improving, and I think this will continue to become more of a strength. He puts in a lot of extra work to get better, and fans will need to be patient with him here.
While his close control and first touch improved in 2025, he still struggled with ball striking. That was a clear development focus heading into 2026, and the work paid off. He became much more efficient in the final third, and his ball striking has become a real weapon with both feet. He's worked hard to develop his ability to cut in from right to left and strike the ball well with his left foot, and it shows. If you watch his highlights, you'll see some pretty ridiculous ball striking. The proof is in both the eye test and the data: in his 2026 MLS season, he outperformed his xG/90 of 0.49 with a G/90 of 0.63, very good numbers for a young winger.
Crossing is another area where he's improved a lot. He still lacks consistency, but he often plays dangerous balls from wide areas using a variety of techniques with both feet.
Tactically
Gozo is a highly versatile player tactically, which I believe is part of why Premier League clubs were so interested in him. He played most of his academy and professional career as a right winger, with some experience on the left. In 2026 with Real Salt Lake, he played primarily at right wing-back to start games but had a lot of freedom to move into any of the five attacking spots in possession. RSL's attack centered around him. He was the straw that stirred the drink, as they say.
You'd often see his versatility show up in the second half, when he started appearing more in the half-spaces. Going forward, he can play right wing-back or either of the two pocket-winger roles, though his defending is still very much a work in progress. From what I've seen, I wouldn't trust him yet to defend elite wingers one-on-one. He still has a lot to learn in his footwork and body positioning. He has the physical tools but lacks the experience, having been an attacker his entire career until this year.
Overall, Gozo is an intelligent player who runs off the ball relentlessly. He finds and occupies smart spaces in the final third and has a solid understanding of how to combine with teammates. The jump from MLS to the Premier League is massive, so he'll have a lot to learn tactically, but I expect him to pick it up over a reasonable timeframe.
Physically
Gozo's physical makeup is one of his clear strengths, so it's no surprise he drew a lot of interest from Premier League clubs. His style of play projects well to that league. For a winger, he has good size at 5-foot-11. I wouldn't call his initial acceleration and change of direction truly elite, but both are very strong traits that should remain strengths in the Premier League, arguably the most physical league in the world. As he continues to mature, he'll likely add more strength to his lower body. He's naturally strong but will need to add functional lower-body muscle to endure the rigors of the league.
Where he's truly elite physically is his endurance and fitness. His coach at RSL, Pablo Mastroeni, talked about this constantly. His ability to maintain pace late into games is at a globally elite level, and it's a big reason he tends to have such a huge impact late in matches. He's making 60-meter runs at full pace when everyone else is losing theirs.
Mentally
This is where I think USMNT fans will really enjoy Gozo. He plays with an unwavering level of confidence, effort and bravery. If there's one reason he'll make it in the Premier League, it's his mentality, work ethic and self-belief. Whether it's the academy, the second team or the first team, he plays the same way, with the same desire to make a positive impact and constantly attack 1v1. He won't shy away from big moments and never avoids a challenge or confrontation on the pitch. He isn't afraid to mix it up with an opponent and always welcomes a one-on-one battle. He's an incredibly nice kid off the pitch but an absolute killer on it, a trait that should endear him to supporters quickly.
As mentioned above, Gozo puts in work outside day-to-day training. He's noticeably improved or added something to his game every year. He's a young player who understands what it takes to be great, to improve and to put in the necessary work.
He also seems to rise for big moments. He scored a game-winner against England in a U16 match. At the 2025 U-20 World Cup, while playing up two age levels, he came off the bench to score the opener and set up the second in a 3-0 win over France. He scored a number of go-ahead goals for Real Salt Lake. He simply knows how to show up when it matters.
That big-game gene, paired with his work ethic and engine, should serve him well with Pochettino's staff in training during the September-October camp. And if he gets his chances, he has the late-game legs and ball striking to make them count.
