Inside Viktor Gyokeres' transfer to Arsenal: Tough negotiating,引进 Berta's role and why Sesko interest cooled
阿森纳引进维克托·泽凯赖什内幕：艰难谈判、贝尔塔的泽凯作用追逐作用以及为何对舍什科的追逐降温
James McNicholas and Mario CorteganaJuly 27, 2025 2:00 am
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When the white smoke emerged from Arsenal's transfer conclave, it spelt out the name of Viktor Gyokeres.
当阿森纳转会决策会议升起“白烟”时，浮现的内幕名字是维克托·泽凯赖什。
Heading into the window,艰难及为降温 manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta saw the No 9 position as the north London club's most critical piece of business.
在转会窗开启之际，主教练米克尔·阿尔特塔和体育总监安德里亚·贝尔塔将9号位视为这家北伦敦俱乐部最关键的谈判塔交易目标。
After months of speculation over Gyokeres,何对 Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and others, Arsenal's wait for a new striker is over --- and their team's key requirement has been addressed. The 27-year-old has joined from Portugal's Sporting CP for a €63.5million fixed fee (£55m, $75m) with a further €10m possible in potential add-ons, signing a five-year contract.
在经历了数月关于泽凯赖什、本杰明·舍什科、引进奥利·沃特金斯及其他球员的泽凯作用追逐猜测后，阿森纳对新中锋的内幕等待终于结束——球队的关键需求得到了满足。这位27岁的艰难及为降温球员从葡萄牙的葡萄牙体育俱乐部加盟，固定转会费为6300万欧元（5500万英镑），谈判塔另有最高可达1000万欧元的何对浮动条款，并签下了一份为期五年的引进合同。
Arsenal are 泽凯作用追逐confident they have landed a player ready --- and utterly determined --- to make an immediate impact. He is a striker for the here and now: someone who Arsenal believe can be a difference-maker this season.
阿森纳相信他们签下了一位已做好准备——并且意志极其坚定——能立即产生影响的球员。他就是内幕当下急需的中锋：阿森纳认为他能在本赛季成为改变战局的人。
To tell the inside story of this deal, The Athletic has spoken to sources from clubs involved and linked to players, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships.
为了讲述这笔交易的幕后故事，《The Athletic》采访了参与其中的俱乐部以及球员相关人士的消息源，他们匿名发言以保护关系。
A year ago, few foresaw this outcome. Before Berta's appointment in March, Gyokeres was not someone who figured prominently on Arsenal's recruitment lists.
一年前，很少有人预见到这个结果。在贝尔塔于三月被任命之前，泽凯赖什并未出现在阿森纳引援名单的显要位置。
Given his goalscoring feats for Sporting, the now 26-cap Sweden international was on their radar. When assessed by Berta's predecessor Edu and his recruitment staff, however, Gyokeres was profiled as a secondary-tier player --- one who could be complementary to Kai Havertz, but was not necessarily an upgrade over the German. His physical attributes and finishing prowess were not in doubt, but he did not look an obvious fit for Arsenal's game model under Arteta.
考虑到他在葡萄牙体育的进球表现，这位如今代表瑞典国家队出场26次的国脚确实在阿森纳的关注范围内。然而，当贝尔塔的前任埃杜及其招募团队评估时，泽凯赖什被定位为次一级球员——一个可以辅助凯·哈弗茨，但未必能超越这位德国球员的选择。他的身体素质和终结能力毋庸置疑，但在阿尔特塔治下，他似乎并非阿森纳比赛模式的理想人选。
The preferred target at that stage was RB Leipzig's Sesko --- a deal Arsenal had explored in the summer of 2024, and planned to return to this year.
当时阶段的首选目标是莱比锡红牛的舍什科——阿森纳曾在2024年夏天探讨过这笔交易，并计划在今年再次追求。
In March, Edu's interim successor Jason Ayto was planning a visit to Germany to try to make advances in that direction. It appeared Arsenal were set for the summer of Sesko.
三月份，埃杜的临时继任者杰森·艾托计划访问德国，试图在这个方向上取得进展。当时看来，阿森纳似乎已锁定舍什科作为夏季目标。
Then, at the end of that month, Berta was appointed, and the dynamic changed.
然而，就在那个月底，贝尔塔被任命，局面随之改变。
Ayto's Germany trip was shelved, and Gyokeres' name came firmly into contention. Berta was a longstanding admirer of the player, and felt he could be the forward Arsenal need to help them end their current five-year wait for silverware.
艾托的德国之行被搁置，泽凯赖什的名字则坚定地进入了竞争行列。贝尔塔长期以来一直欣赏这名球员，并认为他可能就是阿森纳所需要的前锋，能帮助球队结束当前长达五年无冠的等待。
Personal preferences were set to one side as Arsenal --- with the support of their owners --- decided to explore the parameters of both deals. That way, their merits could be discussed and debated from an informed perspective.
在俱乐部老板的支持下，阿森纳决定搁置个人偏好，转而探究两笔交易的各项条件。这样，他们就能基于充分的信息来讨论和权衡两者的优劣。
Over the previous 18 months, Sesko's camp had built a strong relationship with Edu and Ayto, as the groundwork was laid for a potential deal to take their man to the Emirates Stadium.
在过去18个月里，舍什科的团队与埃杜和艾托建立了牢固的关系，为潜在转会至酋长球场的交易打下了基础。
When Berta arrived, it was a different relationship --- and although the Sesko camp still believed the 22-year-old Slovenian was Arsenal's first choice, his representatives did harbour some concerns that the turnover in personnel might jeopardise the transfer.
当贝尔塔上任后，关系发生了变化——尽管舍什科团队仍相信这位22岁的斯洛文尼亚人是阿森纳的首选，但其代表确实存在一些担忧，担心人员变动可能会危及转会。
Sesko's handlers were wary of committing early, too. They did not want to close down their options, and took an aggressive negotiating position in talks with Arsenal --- which did not go down well in north London.
舍什科的经纪人团队也对过早承诺持谨慎态度。他们不想关闭其他选项，并在与阿森纳的谈判中采取了强势的姿态——这在北伦敦引发了不满。
Nevertheless, constructive contact with Sesko's agent, Elvis Basanovic, continued --- Basanovic was a guest of the club at Arsenal's final home game of the season against Newcastle United.
尽管如此，与舍什科经纪人埃尔维斯·巴萨诺维奇的积极接触仍在继续——巴萨诺维奇作为俱乐部的嘉宾，出席了阿森纳赛季最后一场主场对阵纽卡斯尔联的比赛。
Arsenal and Berta did explore the purchase of Sesko --- lengthy talks were held with the player's camp, and Leipzig were aware of their interest. The German club's preference was for a deal to be struck sooner rather than later, to provide clarity and help accelerate their rebuild after finishing just seventh in the Bundesliga last season.
阿森纳和贝尔塔确实探讨过引进舍什科——与球员团队进行了长时间的谈判，莱比锡也知晓他们的兴趣。这家德国俱乐部倾向于尽早达成交易，以便明确方向并加速球队重建，毕竟他们上赛季在德甲仅排名第七。
Sesko's age profile and potential appealed to Arsenal. They had undertaken significant background work on him, having tracked his progress for several years. The idea of recruiting a young player with upside and the prospect of increasing in value while at Arsenal was attractive to the club's owners.
舍什科的年龄特点和潜力对阿森纳具有吸引力。他们对他进行了大量的背景调查，并追踪其发展已有数年之久。引进一名有上升空间、在阿森纳效力期间有望增值的年轻球员，这个想法对俱乐部老板很有吸引力。
Limited progress was made. In terms of the fee Leipzig demanded, Sesko's salary expectations and associated commission, the cost was too high for what Arsenal considered a development project. Sesko's potential is clear, but Arsenal are in a phase that requires immediate impact.
谈判进展有限。就莱比锡要求的转会费、舍什科的薪资期望以及相关佣金而言，对于阿森纳认为的一个发展型项目来说，成本太高了。舍什科的潜力是显而易见的，但阿森纳正处于一个需要即战力的阶段。
Sources at the German end of the mooted deal suggest that if the numbers were too steep for Arsenal's liking, they were simply part of a standard negotiating process and that there was flexibility and room for further conversation. Arsenal struggled to make significant headway in the talks --- their chemistry with Basanovic did not mesh easily. Later, as the balance shifted towards Gyokeres, concessions were made by the Sesko camp --- but by then, it was arguably too late.
参与讨论的德方消息源表示，如果数字对阿森纳来说太高，那也只是标准谈判过程的一部分，仍有灵活性和进一步讨论的空间。阿森纳在谈判中难以取得重大进展——他们与巴萨诺维奇的默契度不高。后来，当重心转向泽凯赖什时，舍什科团队做出了让步——但那时可能为时已晚。
Gyokeres, meanwhile, was beginning to hold significant appeal for the Arsenal hierarchy.
与此同时，泽凯赖什开始对阿森纳高层产生巨大的吸引力。
Having turned 27 in June, he was experienced and a proven goalscorer. He had already played in the English league, having signed for Brighton & Hove Albion in 2018 as a 19-year-old and subsequently been loaned to Swansea City and Coventry City, who he later joined permanently. At a time when Arsenal were searching for the missing piece to turn them from contenders into winners, he looked like a player primed for an immediate impact.
他在六月份年满27岁，经验丰富且是经过证明的射手。他已有过英格兰联赛的效力经历：2018年19岁时签约布莱顿，随后租借至斯旺西城和考文垂城，并最终永久转会考文垂。在阿森纳寻找那块能将他们从竞争者转变为冠军的最后拼图之际，他看起来像是一位已准备好立即产生影响的球员。
Another factor was that Gyokeres believed he had an agreement with Sporting which could allow him to leave the Lisbon side this summer for a fee of €60million (£52m/$69.8m) with a further €10m in add-ons --- substantially below his €100m release clause. Berta began exploring the conditions of a deal.
另一个因素是，泽凯赖什相信自己与葡萄牙体育有一项协议，允许他在今年夏天以6000万欧元（5200万英镑）固定转会费外加1000万欧元浮动条款的价格离开这家里斯本俱乐部——这远低于他1亿欧元的解约金条款。贝尔塔开始着手探究交易的条件。
Arteta, however, still needed to be convinced.
然而，阿尔特塔仍需被说服。
Throughout the process of Arsenal's hunt for a striker, the manager's preferences have evolved.
在阿森纳整个寻找中锋的过程中，主教练的偏好一直在演变。
His admiration for Alexander Isak has been consistent, but once he'd helped Newcastle qualify for next season's Champions League, Arsenal felt that signing would be beyond them. By the time Isak made it clear he wanted to leave Newcastle in late July, Arsenal had committed to alternative plans.
他对亚历山大·伊萨克一直很欣赏，但一旦伊萨克帮助纽卡斯尔获得了下赛季欧冠资格，阿森纳就觉得签下他超出了他们的能力范围。等到伊萨克在七月底明确表示想离开纽卡斯尔时，阿森纳已确定了替代计划。
In January, Arteta had been fully behind Arsenal's pursuit of Watkins, but ultimately the club were not prepared to meet Aston Villa's £60million asking price.
一月份时，阿尔特塔曾全力支持阿森纳追逐沃特金斯，但最终俱乐部不愿满足阿斯顿维拉6000万英镑的要价。
At the start of the summer, Arteta appeared to have a slight preference for Sesko --- even if there were concerns about his readiness to make an immediate impact in the Premier League, after only turning 22 in late May.
夏窗伊始，阿尔特塔似乎对舍什科略有偏爱——尽管对他是否已准备好立即在英超产生影响存在疑虑，毕竟他五月底才刚满22岁。
Ultimately, however, the Spaniard came to agree on targeting Gyokeres. When weighing up the various criteria under consideration, manager and club were aligned that this was the best deal for Arsenal.
然而最终，这位西班牙主帅同意将目标锁定在泽凯赖什身上。在权衡了各种考虑因素后，主教练和俱乐部达成一致，认为这是对阿森纳最有利的交易。
It suited the club, of course, to have the names of both Sesko and Gyokeres so prominently in the public discourse: it granted them leverage in talks. Arsenal's understanding was that both players wanted to join them, and that ultimately they would land one of the two --- when the terms were right for the club.
当然，让舍什科和泽凯赖什的名字如此突出地出现在公众讨论中，对俱乐部是有利的：这给了他们在谈判中的筹码。阿森纳的理解是，两名球员都希望加盟他们，并且最终他们会在条款对俱乐部有利时签下其中一人。
As the weeks went by, however, a move for Sesko began to look less and less likely. Arsenal noted that they appeared to be the only club actively pursuing him, while Gyokeres had other suitors, including Manchester United.
然而，随着时间一周周过去，签下舍什科的可能性越来越小。阿森纳注意到，他们似乎是唯一积极追求舍什科的俱乐部，而泽凯赖什则有其他追求者，包括曼联。
Those two weren't the only players given consideration this summer: Watkins was discussed again, although Arsenal had the same reservations over age (he turns 30 in December) and fee. Atletico Madrid's Argentina international Julian Alvarez was also discussed. But it was Gyokeres on whom they were beginning to train their sights. Aside from his obvious quality as a goalscorer, it was a simpler, more straightforward structure of deal --- and a cheaper one, too.
这两人并非今夏唯一被考虑的球员：沃特金斯再次被讨论，尽管阿森纳对其年龄（他将在12月年满30岁）和转会费存在同样的顾虑。马德里竞技的阿根廷国脚胡利安·阿尔瓦雷斯也被讨论过。但他们开始将目光聚焦在泽凯赖什身上。除了他作为射手的明显实力外，这笔交易的结构更简单、更直接——而且也更便宜。
In mid-June, Berta flew to the Spanish island of Menorca for in-person talks with Sporting. It was a significant moment: for all Arsenal's interest in Sesko, there had never been a summit such as this.
六月中旬，贝尔塔飞往西班牙梅诺卡岛，与葡萄牙体育进行面对面会谈。这是一个重要时刻：尽管阿森纳对舍什科兴趣浓厚，但从未举行过如此高级别的会晤。
The difficulty was that Sporting seemingly had no intention of honouring their alleged agreement with Gyokeres. They wanted a fixed fee of €70million, with a further €10m in potential add-ons. Although still a €20m discount on the release clause, this was higher than what the player's camp believed had been agreed.
困难在于，葡萄牙体育似乎无意履行他们据称与泽凯赖什达成的协议。他们想要7000万欧元的固定转会费，外加最高1000万欧元的浮动条款。虽然这仍比解约金条款低了2000万欧元，但高于球员团队认为已经约定的价格。
As June ticked into July, Arteta emphasised the urgency of the situation. With pre-season around the corner, he wanted Arsenal's centre-forward situation resolved. Their challenging early Premier League fixture list gave the club further impetus to complete a deal as soon as possible.
随着六月进入七月，阿尔特塔强调了情况的紧迫性。季前备战在即，他希望阿森纳的中锋问题得到解决。俱乐部在英超联赛初段面临的艰难赛程表，进一步推动了他们尽快完成交易的决心。
Agreeing personal terms with Gyokeres was relatively straightforward --- throughout the process, he showed a clear determination to move to Arsenal. They also found Hasan Cetinkaya, his agent, straightforward and easy to deal with. They were impressed that he and his client committed so thoroughly to Gyokeres joining Arsenal. It's unusual for a player of this calibre to refuse to entertain offers from other clubs, but the Swede was insistent: it would be Arsenal and only Arsenal.
与泽凯赖什达成个人条款相对顺利——在整个过程中，他展现出加盟阿森纳的明确决心。他们也发现他的经纪人哈桑·切廷卡亚为人直率且易于打交道。他和他的委托人对加盟阿森纳如此彻底的承诺给俱乐部留下了深刻印象。像他这个级别的球员拒绝考虑其他俱乐部的报价是罕见的，但这位瑞典人很坚持：必须是阿森纳，且只能是阿森纳。
Gyokeres' representatives also handled much of the negotiating, with direct contact between the two clubs relatively limited. Throughout the process, Berta was ably supported by Arsenal's highly rated director of football operations, James King. Arteta and Arsenal executive vice-chair Tim Lewis were also closely involved, as has been the case across the summer business.
泽凯赖什的代表也承担了大部分谈判工作，两家俱乐部之间的直接接触相对有限。在整个过程中，贝尔塔得到了阿森纳备受好评的足球运营总监詹姆斯·金的有力支持。阿尔特塔和阿森纳执行副主席蒂姆·刘易斯也密切参与其中，这贯穿了整个夏窗的运作。
There were direct talks at key moments, though. On the first weekend of July, Berta flew out for more face-to-face talks with Sporting. Negotiations were challenging --- the Portuguese club were determined to maximise their return on a player they paid Coventry around €20million for in summer 2023.
不过，在关键时刻仍有直接对话。七月的第一个周末，贝尔塔再次飞往葡萄牙与葡萄牙体育进行面对面会谈。谈判充满挑战——这家葡萄牙俱乐部决心最大化他们在2023年夏天支付给考文垂约2000万欧元购入的球员身上的回报。
Berta returned to the UK without a deal, but talks continued. Gyokeres had been given an extended summer break due to the uncertainty over his future. He was expected to rejoin the Sporting squad on July 11 but instead communicated to club president Frederico Varandas that he would not return under any circumstances.
贝尔塔返回英国时尚未达成协议，但谈判仍在继续。由于未来的不确定性，泽凯赖什被延长了夏休期。他原定于7月11日归队，但他告知俱乐部主席弗雷德里科·瓦兰达斯，无论如何他都不会归队。
Gyokeres felt Varandas had reneged on a pact: Arsenal's offer was already in excess of the suggested €60million-plus-€10m fee, yet there was no agreement between the clubs. Varandas threatened disciplinary action while, behind the scenes, Arsenal worked tirelessly towards completing the transfer.
泽凯赖什认为瓦兰达斯违背了约定：阿森纳的报价已经超过了传闻中的6000万欧元固定+1000万欧元浮动的价格，但两家俱乐部之间仍未达成协议。瓦兰达斯威胁要采取纪律处分，而在幕后，阿森纳正不懈努力以完成这笔转会。
Eventually, a consensus was reached on the broad scope of a deal: a €63.5million fixed fee, with a further €10m in potential add-ons. With those parameters established, Arsenal submitted their first formal bid. Agent Cetinkaya also agreed to waive a 10 per cent commission payment to facilitate the transfer.
最终，双方就交易的大框架达成了共识：6300万欧元固定转会费，外加最高1000万欧元的浮动条款。确定了这些参数后，阿森纳提交了第一份正式报价。经纪人切廷卡亚也同意放弃10%的佣金以促成转会。
Even then, the deal was not done. Arsenal still had to negotiate the terms of those add-ons, with Sporting pushing for bonus payments they felt were more easily achievable. This dragged the process out for more than a week. As the squad flew to Singapore to begin Arsenal's three-match Asian tour, Berta stayed behind to see the deal through.
即便如此，交易仍未完成。阿森纳仍需就浮动条款的具体条件进行谈判，葡萄牙体育推动设置他们认为更容易实现的奖金支付条件。这使得谈判过程又拖延了一周多。当球队飞往新加坡开始阿森纳的三场亚洲巡回赛时，贝尔塔留在后方以确保交易完成。
In the final stages of negotiations, Sporting fielded an enquiry from Manchester United, but Gyokeres was not for turning. He was already fully committed to moving to the Emirates.
在谈判的最后阶段，葡萄牙体育收到了曼联的询价，但泽凯赖什心意已决。他已完全承诺转会至酋长球场。
The last part of the process dragged out as Sporting dug in. It was a frustrating process --- one which left Berta, Gyokeres and others greatly exercised --- but finally on Friday, July 25, a full agreement was reached. People briefed on the figures say €5m of the add-ons will trigger at a set number of appearances while there are further payments tied to Gyokeres' goal involvements and the team qualifying for the Champions League.
由于葡萄牙体育坚守立场，谈判的最后部分被拖延了。这是一个令人沮丧的过程——让贝尔塔、泽凯赖什和其他相关人士都倍感焦虑——但最终在7月25日星期五，双方达成了全面协议。了解具体数字的人士表示，浮动条款中的500万欧元将在球员达到一定出场次数时触发，而其余部分则与泽凯赖什的进球贡献（进球+助攻）以及球队获得欧冠资格挂钩。
So Arsenal have their man, and Arteta has his striker.
于是，阿森纳如愿以偿，阿尔特塔得到了他的中锋。
Arsenal have landed a centre-forward with a remarkable resume. His last two seasons have yielded 97 goals and 28 assists in just 102 appearances. Arsenal see Gyokeres as a dynamic, dominant attacker --- an aggressive runner and direct ball-carrier. They admire his movement and work-rate, both on and off the ball. Crucially, they also think he has the personality to handle the pressure and deliver match-winning moments. Gyokeres' confidence is underlined by his decision to take the number 14 shirt once worn by Arsenal's record goalscorer, Thierry Henry.
阿森纳签下了一位履历非凡的中锋。过去两个赛季，他在仅仅102场比赛中贡献了97个进球和28次助攻。阿森纳将泽凯赖什视为一名充满活力、统治力强的攻击手——一个冲击力强、持球推进直接的球员。他们欣赏他的跑动和比赛投入度，无论有球还是无球。关键的是，他们也认为他具备承受压力并在关键时刻赢得比赛的性格。泽凯赖什选择穿上阿森纳队史射手王蒂埃里·亨利曾穿过的14号球衣，这一决定突显了他的自信。
Gyokeres might look a less natural fit for their system than Havertz, but that may be a red herring. Arsenal will have to adapt to Gyokeres' strengths, as much as he will have to adapt to theirs. The arrival of the Swede might herald an evolutionary turning point for Arteta's team --- a shift to a more direct, transitional style of football.
与哈弗茨相比，泽凯赖什看起来可能不是他们体系的天然适配者，但这或许是个假象。阿森纳需要适应泽凯赖什的特点，正如他也需要适应球队的体系一样。这位瑞典球员的到来，可能预示着阿尔特塔球队的一个进化转折点——转向一种更直接、更注重攻防转换的足球风格。
For Berta too, this is a significant signing. Although it seems the club reached a consensus on this being the right deal for Arsenal, Gyokeres was a name he championed. Their new sporting director has left his mark on this summer's business.
对贝尔塔而言，这也是一笔重要签约。尽管俱乐部似乎达成了共识，认为这是对阿森纳正确的交易，但泽凯赖什是他力主引进的名字。这位新任体育总监在这个夏窗的运作中留下了自己的印记。
Now for Gyokeres to make his mark on the pitch.
现在，轮到泽凯赖什在球场上留下自己的印记了。
Additional reporting: David Ornstein
补充报道：David Ornstein
Inside Viktor Gyokeres' transfer to Arsenal: Tough negotiating, Berta's role and why Sesko interest cooled
阿森纳引进维克托·泽凯赖什内幕：艰难谈判、贝尔塔的作用以及为何对舍什科的追逐降温
James McNicholas and Mario CorteganaJuly 27, 2025 2:00 am
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When the white smoke emerged from Arsenal's transfer conclave, it spelt out the name of Viktor Gyokeres.
当阿森纳转会决策会议升起“白烟”时，浮现的名字是维克托·泽凯赖什。
Heading into the window, manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta saw the No 9 position as the north London club's most critical piece of business.
在转会窗开启之际，主教练米克尔·阿尔特塔和体育总监安德里亚·贝尔塔将9号位视为这家北伦敦俱乐部最关键的交易目标。
After months of speculation over Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and others, Arsenal's wait for a new striker is over --- and their team's key requirement has been addressed. The 27-year-old has joined from Portugal's Sporting CP for a €63.5million fixed fee (£55m, $75m) with a further €10m possible in potential add-ons, signing a five-year contract.
在经历了数月关于泽凯赖什、本杰明·舍什科、奥利·沃特金斯及其他球员的猜测后，阿森纳对新中锋的等待终于结束——球队的关键需求得到了满足。这位27岁的球员从葡萄牙的葡萄牙体育俱乐部加盟，固定转会费为6300万欧元（5500万英镑），另有最高可达1000万欧元的浮动条款，并签下了一份为期五年的合同。
Arsenal are confident they have landed a player ready --- and utterly determined --- to make an immediate impact. He is a striker for the here and now: someone who Arsenal believe can be a difference-maker this season.
阿森纳相信他们签下了一位已做好准备——并且意志极其坚定——能立即产生影响的球员。他就是当下急需的中锋：阿森纳认为他能在本赛季成为改变战局的人。
To tell the inside story of this deal, The Athletic has spoken to sources from clubs involved and linked to players, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships.
为了讲述这笔交易的幕后故事，《The Athletic》采访了参与其中的俱乐部以及球员相关人士的消息源，他们匿名发言以保护关系。
A year ago, few foresaw this outcome. Before Berta's appointment in March, Gyokeres was not someone who figured prominently on Arsenal's recruitment lists.
一年前，很少有人预见到这个结果。在贝尔塔于三月被任命之前，泽凯赖什并未出现在阿森纳引援名单的显要位置。
Given his goalscoring feats for Sporting, the now 26-cap Sweden international was on their radar. When assessed by Berta's predecessor Edu and his recruitment staff, however, Gyokeres was profiled as a secondary-tier player --- one who could be complementary to Kai Havertz, but was not necessarily an upgrade over the German. His physical attributes and finishing prowess were not in doubt, but he did not look an obvious fit for Arsenal's game model under Arteta.
考虑到他在葡萄牙体育的进球表现，这位如今代表瑞典国家队出场26次的国脚确实在阿森纳的关注范围内。然而，当贝尔塔的前任埃杜及其招募团队评估时，泽凯赖什被定位为次一级球员——一个可以辅助凯·哈弗茨，但未必能超越这位德国球员的选择。他的身体素质和终结能力毋庸置疑，但在阿尔特塔治下，他似乎并非阿森纳比赛模式的理想人选。
The preferred target at that stage was RB Leipzig's Sesko --- a deal Arsenal had explored in the summer of 2024, and planned to return to this year.
当时阶段的首选目标是莱比锡红牛的舍什科——阿森纳曾在2024年夏天探讨过这笔交易，并计划在今年再次追求。
In March, Edu's interim successor Jason Ayto was planning a visit to Germany to try to make advances in that direction. It appeared Arsenal were set for the summer of Sesko.
三月份，埃杜的临时继任者杰森·艾托计划访问德国，试图在这个方向上取得进展。当时看来，阿森纳似乎已锁定舍什科作为夏季目标。
Then, at the end of that month, Berta was appointed, and the dynamic changed.
然而，就在那个月底，贝尔塔被任命，局面随之改变。
Ayto's Germany trip was shelved, and Gyokeres' name came firmly into contention. Berta was a longstanding admirer of the player, and felt he could be the forward Arsenal need to help them end their current five-year wait for silverware.
艾托的德国之行被搁置，泽凯赖什的名字则坚定地进入了竞争行列。贝尔塔长期以来一直欣赏这名球员，并认为他可能就是阿森纳所需要的前锋，能帮助球队结束当前长达五年无冠的等待。
Personal preferences were set to one side as Arsenal --- with the support of their owners --- decided to explore the parameters of both deals. That way, their merits could be discussed and debated from an informed perspective.
在俱乐部老板的支持下，阿森纳决定搁置个人偏好，转而探究两笔交易的各项条件。这样，他们就能基于充分的信息来讨论和权衡两者的优劣。
Over the previous 18 months, Sesko's camp had built a strong relationship with Edu and Ayto, as the groundwork was laid for a potential deal to take their man to the Emirates Stadium.
在过去18个月里，舍什科的团队与埃杜和艾托建立了牢固的关系，为潜在转会至酋长球场的交易打下了基础。
When Berta arrived, it was a different relationship --- and although the Sesko camp still believed the 22-year-old Slovenian was Arsenal's first choice, his representatives did harbour some concerns that the turnover in personnel might jeopardise the transfer.
当贝尔塔上任后，关系发生了变化——尽管舍什科团队仍相信这位22岁的斯洛文尼亚人是阿森纳的首选，但其代表确实存在一些担忧，担心人员变动可能会危及转会。
Sesko's handlers were wary of committing early, too. They did not want to close down their options, and took an aggressive negotiating position in talks with Arsenal --- which did not go down well in north London.
舍什科的经纪人团队也对过早承诺持谨慎态度。他们不想关闭其他选项，并在与阿森纳的谈判中采取了强势的姿态——这在北伦敦引发了不满。
Nevertheless, constructive contact with Sesko's agent, Elvis Basanovic, continued --- Basanovic was a guest of the club at Arsenal's final home game of the season against Newcastle United.
尽管如此，与舍什科经纪人埃尔维斯·巴萨诺维奇的积极接触仍在继续——巴萨诺维奇作为俱乐部的嘉宾，出席了阿森纳赛季最后一场主场对阵纽卡斯尔联的比赛。
Arsenal and Berta did explore the purchase of Sesko --- lengthy talks were held with the player's camp, and Leipzig were aware of their interest. The German club's preference was for a deal to be struck sooner rather than later, to provide clarity and help accelerate their rebuild after finishing just seventh in the Bundesliga last season.
阿森纳和贝尔塔确实探讨过引进舍什科——与球员团队进行了长时间的谈判，莱比锡也知晓他们的兴趣。这家德国俱乐部倾向于尽早达成交易，以便明确方向并加速球队重建，毕竟他们上赛季在德甲仅排名第七。
Sesko's age profile and potential appealed to Arsenal. They had undertaken significant background work on him, having tracked his progress for several years. The idea of recruiting a young player with upside and the prospect of increasing in value while at Arsenal was attractive to the club's owners.
舍什科的年龄特点和潜力对阿森纳具有吸引力。他们对他进行了大量的背景调查，并追踪其发展已有数年之久。引进一名有上升空间、在阿森纳效力期间有望增值的年轻球员，这个想法对俱乐部老板很有吸引力。
Limited progress was made. In terms of the fee Leipzig demanded, Sesko's salary expectations and associated commission, the cost was too high for what Arsenal considered a development project. Sesko's potential is clear, but Arsenal are in a phase that requires immediate impact.
谈判进展有限。就莱比锡要求的转会费、舍什科的薪资期望以及相关佣金而言，对于阿森纳认为的一个发展型项目来说，成本太高了。舍什科的潜力是显而易见的，但阿森纳正处于一个需要即战力的阶段。
Sources at the German end of the mooted deal suggest that if the numbers were too steep for Arsenal's liking, they were simply part of a standard negotiating process and that there was flexibility and room for further conversation. Arsenal struggled to make significant headway in the talks --- their chemistry with Basanovic did not mesh easily. Later, as the balance shifted towards Gyokeres, concessions were made by the Sesko camp --- but by then, it was arguably too late.
参与讨论的德方消息源表示，如果数字对阿森纳来说太高，那也只是标准谈判过程的一部分，仍有灵活性和进一步讨论的空间。阿森纳在谈判中难以取得重大进展——他们与巴萨诺维奇的默契度不高。后来，当重心转向泽凯赖什时，舍什科团队做出了让步——但那时可能为时已晚。
Gyokeres, meanwhile, was beginning to hold significant appeal for the Arsenal hierarchy.
与此同时，泽凯赖什开始对阿森纳高层产生巨大的吸引力。
Having turned 27 in June, he was experienced and a proven goalscorer. He had already played in the English league, having signed for Brighton & Hove Albion in 2018 as a 19-year-old and subsequently been loaned to Swansea City and Coventry City, who he later joined permanently. At a time when Arsenal were searching for the missing piece to turn them from contenders into winners, he looked like a player primed for an immediate impact.
他在六月份年满27岁，经验丰富且是经过证明的射手。他已有过英格兰联赛的效力经历：2018年19岁时签约布莱顿，随后租借至斯旺西城和考文垂城，并最终永久转会考文垂。在阿森纳寻找那块能将他们从竞争者转变为冠军的最后拼图之际，他看起来像是一位已准备好立即产生影响的球员。
Another factor was that Gyokeres believed he had an agreement with Sporting which could allow him to leave the Lisbon side this summer for a fee of €60million (£52m/$69.8m) with a further €10m in add-ons --- substantially below his €100m release clause. Berta began exploring the conditions of a deal.
另一个因素是，泽凯赖什相信自己与葡萄牙体育有一项协议，允许他在今年夏天以6000万欧元（5200万英镑）固定转会费外加1000万欧元浮动条款的价格离开这家里斯本俱乐部——这远低于他1亿欧元的解约金条款。贝尔塔开始着手探究交易的条件。
Arteta, however, still needed to be convinced.
然而，阿尔特塔仍需被说服。
Throughout the process of Arsenal's hunt for a striker, the manager's preferences have evolved.
在阿森纳整个寻找中锋的过程中，主教练的偏好一直在演变。
His admiration for Alexander Isak has been consistent, but once he'd helped Newcastle qualify for next season's Champions League, Arsenal felt that signing would be beyond them. By the time Isak made it clear he wanted to leave Newcastle in late July, Arsenal had committed to alternative plans.
他对亚历山大·伊萨克一直很欣赏，但一旦伊萨克帮助纽卡斯尔获得了下赛季欧冠资格，阿森纳就觉得签下他超出了他们的能力范围。等到伊萨克在七月底明确表示想离开纽卡斯尔时，阿森纳已确定了替代计划。
In January, Arteta had been fully behind Arsenal's pursuit of Watkins, but ultimately the club were not prepared to meet Aston Villa's £60million asking price.
一月份时，阿尔特塔曾全力支持阿森纳追逐沃特金斯，但最终俱乐部不愿满足阿斯顿维拉6000万英镑的要价。
At the start of the summer, Arteta appeared to have a slight preference for Sesko --- even if there were concerns about his readiness to make an immediate impact in the Premier League, after only turning 22 in late May.
夏窗伊始，阿尔特塔似乎对舍什科略有偏爱——尽管对他是否已准备好立即在英超产生影响存在疑虑，毕竟他五月底才刚满22岁。
Ultimately, however, the Spaniard came to agree on targeting Gyokeres. When weighing up the various criteria under consideration, manager and club were aligned that this was the best deal for Arsenal.
然而最终，这位西班牙主帅同意将目标锁定在泽凯赖什身上。在权衡了各种考虑因素后，主教练和俱乐部达成一致，认为这是对阿森纳最有利的交易。
It suited the club, of course, to have the names of both Sesko and Gyokeres so prominently in the public discourse: it granted them leverage in talks. Arsenal's understanding was that both players wanted to join them, and that ultimately they would land one of the two --- when the terms were right for the club.
当然，让舍什科和泽凯赖什的名字如此突出地出现在公众讨论中，对俱乐部是有利的：这给了他们在谈判中的筹码。阿森纳的理解是，两名球员都希望加盟他们，并且最终他们会在条款对俱乐部有利时签下其中一人。
As the weeks went by, however, a move for Sesko began to look less and less likely. Arsenal noted that they appeared to be the only club actively pursuing him, while Gyokeres had other suitors, including Manchester United.
然而，随着时间一周周过去，签下舍什科的可能性越来越小。阿森纳注意到，他们似乎是唯一积极追求舍什科的俱乐部，而泽凯赖什则有其他追求者，包括曼联。
Those two weren't the only players given consideration this summer: Watkins was discussed again, although Arsenal had the same reservations over age (he turns 30 in December) and fee. Atletico Madrid's Argentina international Julian Alvarez was also discussed. But it was Gyokeres on whom they were beginning to train their sights. Aside from his obvious quality as a goalscorer, it was a simpler, more straightforward structure of deal --- and a cheaper one, too.
这两人并非今夏唯一被考虑的球员：沃特金斯再次被讨论，尽管阿森纳对其年龄（他将在12月年满30岁）和转会费存在同样的顾虑。马德里竞技的阿根廷国脚胡利安·阿尔瓦雷斯也被讨论过。但他们开始将目光聚焦在泽凯赖什身上。除了他作为射手的明显实力外，这笔交易的结构更简单、更直接——而且也更便宜。
In mid-June, Berta flew to the Spanish island of Menorca for in-person talks with Sporting. It was a significant moment: for all Arsenal's interest in Sesko, there had never been a summit such as this.
六月中旬，贝尔塔飞往西班牙梅诺卡岛，与葡萄牙体育进行面对面会谈。这是一个重要时刻：尽管阿森纳对舍什科兴趣浓厚，但从未举行过如此高级别的会晤。
The difficulty was that Sporting seemingly had no intention of honouring their alleged agreement with Gyokeres. They wanted a fixed fee of €70million, with a further €10m in potential add-ons. Although still a €20m discount on the release clause, this was higher than what the player's camp believed had been agreed.
困难在于，葡萄牙体育似乎无意履行他们据称与泽凯赖什达成的协议。他们想要7000万欧元的固定转会费，外加最高1000万欧元的浮动条款。虽然这仍比解约金条款低了2000万欧元，但高于球员团队认为已经约定的价格。
As June ticked into July, Arteta emphasised the urgency of the situation. With pre-season around the corner, he wanted Arsenal's centre-forward situation resolved. Their challenging early Premier League fixture list gave the club further impetus to complete a deal as soon as possible.
随着六月进入七月，阿尔特塔强调了情况的紧迫性。季前备战在即，他希望阿森纳的中锋问题得到解决。俱乐部在英超联赛初段面临的艰难赛程表，进一步推动了他们尽快完成交易的决心。
Agreeing personal terms with Gyokeres was relatively straightforward --- throughout the process, he showed a clear determination to move to Arsenal. They also found Hasan Cetinkaya, his agent, straightforward and easy to deal with. They were impressed that he and his client committed so thoroughly to Gyokeres joining Arsenal. It's unusual for a player of this calibre to refuse to entertain offers from other clubs, but the Swede was insistent: it would be Arsenal and only Arsenal.
与泽凯赖什达成个人条款相对顺利——在整个过程中，他展现出加盟阿森纳的明确决心。他们也发现他的经纪人哈桑·切廷卡亚为人直率且易于打交道。他和他的委托人对加盟阿森纳如此彻底的承诺给俱乐部留下了深刻印象。像他这个级别的球员拒绝考虑其他俱乐部的报价是罕见的，但这位瑞典人很坚持：必须是阿森纳，且只能是阿森纳。
Gyokeres' representatives also handled much of the negotiating, with direct contact between the two clubs relatively limited. Throughout the process, Berta was ably supported by Arsenal's highly rated director of football operations, James King. Arteta and Arsenal executive vice-chair Tim Lewis were also closely involved, as has been the case across the summer business.
泽凯赖什的代表也承担了大部分谈判工作，两家俱乐部之间的直接接触相对有限。在整个过程中，贝尔塔得到了阿森纳备受好评的足球运营总监詹姆斯·金的有力支持。阿尔特塔和阿森纳执行副主席蒂姆·刘易斯也密切参与其中，这贯穿了整个夏窗的运作。
There were direct talks at key moments, though. On the first weekend of July, Berta flew out for more face-to-face talks with Sporting. Negotiations were challenging --- the Portuguese club were determined to maximise their return on a player they paid Coventry around €20million for in summer 2023.
不过，在关键时刻仍有直接对话。七月的第一个周末，贝尔塔再次飞往葡萄牙与葡萄牙体育进行面对面会谈。谈判充满挑战——这家葡萄牙俱乐部决心最大化他们在2023年夏天支付给考文垂约2000万欧元购入的球员身上的回报。
Berta returned to the UK without a deal, but talks continued. Gyokeres had been given an extended summer break due to the uncertainty over his future. He was expected to rejoin the Sporting squad on July 11 but instead communicated to club president Frederico Varandas that he would not return under any circumstances.
贝尔塔返回英国时尚未达成协议，但谈判仍在继续。由于未来的不确定性，泽凯赖什被延长了夏休期。他原定于7月11日归队，但他告知俱乐部主席弗雷德里科·瓦兰达斯，无论如何他都不会归队。
Gyokeres felt Varandas had reneged on a pact: Arsenal's offer was already in excess of the suggested €60million-plus-€10m fee, yet there was no agreement between the clubs. Varandas threatened disciplinary action while, behind the scenes, Arsenal worked tirelessly towards completing the transfer.
泽凯赖什认为瓦兰达斯违背了约定：阿森纳的报价已经超过了传闻中的6000万欧元固定+1000万欧元浮动的价格，但两家俱乐部之间仍未达成协议。瓦兰达斯威胁要采取纪律处分，而在幕后，阿森纳正不懈努力以完成这笔转会。
Eventually, a consensus was reached on the broad scope of a deal: a €63.5million fixed fee, with a further €10m in potential add-ons. With those parameters established, Arsenal submitted their first formal bid. Agent Cetinkaya also agreed to waive a 10 per cent commission payment to facilitate the transfer.
最终，双方就交易的大框架达成了共识：6300万欧元固定转会费，外加最高1000万欧元的浮动条款。确定了这些参数后，阿森纳提交了第一份正式报价。经纪人切廷卡亚也同意放弃10%的佣金以促成转会。
Even then, the deal was not done. Arsenal still had to negotiate the terms of those add-ons, with Sporting pushing for bonus payments they felt were more easily achievable. This dragged the process out for more than a week. As the squad flew to Singapore to begin Arsenal's three-match Asian tour, Berta stayed behind to see the deal through.
即便如此，交易仍未完成。阿森纳仍需就浮动条款的具体条件进行谈判，葡萄牙体育推动设置他们认为更容易实现的奖金支付条件。这使得谈判过程又拖延了一周多。当球队飞往新加坡开始阿森纳的三场亚洲巡回赛时，贝尔塔留在后方以确保交易完成。
In the final stages of negotiations, Sporting fielded an enquiry from Manchester United, but Gyokeres was not for turning. He was already fully committed to moving to the Emirates.
在谈判的最后阶段，葡萄牙体育收到了曼联的询价，但泽凯赖什心意已决。他已完全承诺转会至酋长球场。
The last part of the process dragged out as Sporting dug in. It was a frustrating process --- one which left Berta, Gyokeres and others greatly exercised --- but finally on Friday, July 25, a full agreement was reached. People briefed on the figures say €5m of the add-ons will trigger at a set number of appearances while there are further payments tied to Gyokeres' goal involvements and the team qualifying for the Champions League.
由于葡萄牙体育坚守立场，谈判的最后部分被拖延了。这是一个令人沮丧的过程——让贝尔塔、泽凯赖什和其他相关人士都倍感焦虑——但最终在7月25日星期五，双方达成了全面协议。了解具体数字的人士表示，浮动条款中的500万欧元将在球员达到一定出场次数时触发，而其余部分则与泽凯赖什的进球贡献（进球+助攻）以及球队获得欧冠资格挂钩。
So Arsenal have their man, and Arteta has his striker.
于是，阿森纳如愿以偿，阿尔特塔得到了他的中锋。
Arsenal have landed a centre-forward with a remarkable resume. His last two seasons have yielded 97 goals and 28 assists in just 102 appearances. Arsenal see Gyokeres as a dynamic, dominant attacker --- an aggressive runner and direct ball-carrier. They admire his movement and work-rate, both on and off the ball. Crucially, they also think he has the personality to handle the pressure and deliver match-winning moments. Gyokeres' confidence is underlined by his decision to take the number 14 shirt once worn by Arsenal's record goalscorer, Thierry Henry.
阿森纳签下了一位履历非凡的中锋。过去两个赛季，他在仅仅102场比赛中贡献了97个进球和28次助攻。阿森纳将泽凯赖什视为一名充满活力、统治力强的攻击手——一个冲击力强、持球推进直接的球员。他们欣赏他的跑动和比赛投入度，无论有球还是无球。关键的是，他们也认为他具备承受压力并在关键时刻赢得比赛的性格。泽凯赖什选择穿上阿森纳队史射手王蒂埃里·亨利曾穿过的14号球衣，这一决定突显了他的自信。
Gyokeres might look a less natural fit for their system than Havertz, but that may be a red herring. Arsenal will have to adapt to Gyokeres' strengths, as much as he will have to adapt to theirs. The arrival of the Swede might herald an evolutionary turning point for Arteta's team --- a shift to a more direct, transitional style of football.
与哈弗茨相比，泽凯赖什看起来可能不是他们体系的天然适配者，但这或许是个假象。阿森纳需要适应泽凯赖什的特点，正如他也需要适应球队的体系一样。这位瑞典球员的到来，可能预示着阿尔特塔球队的一个进化转折点——转向一种更直接、更注重攻防转换的足球风格。
For Berta too, this is a significant signing. Although it seems the club reached a consensus on this being the right deal for Arsenal, Gyokeres was a name he championed. Their new sporting director has left his mark on this summer's business.
对贝尔塔而言，这也是一笔重要签约。尽管俱乐部似乎达成了共识，认为这是对阿森纳正确的交易，但泽凯赖什是他力主引进的名字。这位新任体育总监在这个夏窗的运作中留下了自己的印记。
Now for Gyokeres to make his mark on the pitch.
现在，轮到泽凯赖什在球场上留下自己的印记了。
Additional reporting: David Ornstein
补充报道：David Ornstein