Fans have credited Viktor Gyokeres’ girlfriend, Portuguese actress Ines Aguiar, for the striker’s dramatic return to form after the couple rekindled their relationship in March.
The fan theory
Supporters first linked the revival to Aguiar after she shared an Instagram story from Mansfield on March 7 — the same day Arsenal faced the League One side in the FA Cup fifth round. She was then spotted in the stands at the Emirates for Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Fulham on May 2, a match in which Gyokeres scored a brace. In the 12 appearances since Aguiar’s social media post, the Swede has found the net six times, a strike rate that has fuelled speculation among Arsenal fans that her presence has been the catalyst for his resurgence.
A relationship timeline
Gyokeres, 27, and Aguiar had been together for two years, having started dating during his time at Sporting Lisbon. The couple split last summer before Gyokeres’ £64 million move to Arsenal. According to TV Guia, the striker decided to focus on his career and “didn’t want anything to tie him to Portugal, especially because he had already decided that he won’t continue at Sporting next season.” The report added that he wanted to leave his personal life behind in the summer, but the pair reconnected after he had settled in London. Aguiar, who was recently cast in a new television show in Portugal, has reportedly begun looking to purchase a property in London, suggesting a more permanent reunion.
On the pitch
Gyokeres’ early months at the Emirates were underwhelming. Mikel Arteta later acknowledged the striker had an “underwhelming start” and struggled with physical condition after having “no pre-season.” Gyokeres scored only six goals in his first 14 games, leading to scrutiny from fans and pundits. Arteta, however, consistently backed his £64m signing, praising his work ethic and desire to learn, noting that the improvement “has not happened overnight” but was the result of months of hard work and building connections with teammates.
The turnaround has been marked. Since the FA Cup tie against Mansfield on March 7 — a game Gyokeres did not score in, with goals from Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze securing a 2-1 win — he has hit six goals in 12 appearances. That includes the brace against Fulham that extended Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points with three games remaining. Overall this season, Gyokeres has scored 21 goals in all competitions for Arsenal, making him the first Gunners player since Alexis Sanchez in 2014-15 to reach 20 goals in his debut campaign. His Premier League tally stands at 12 goals in 21 appearances, though he is yet to score in the Champions League.
Arsenal’s season remains alive on two fronts. They travel to West Ham on May 10, host Burnley on May 18, and visit Crystal Palace on the final day, May 24. Win all three and they clinch their first league title since 2004. On May 30, they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest — a trophy the club has never won. Gyokeres, who played a key role in the semi-final win over Atletico Madrid despite not scoring in the second leg, will be central to those ambitions. Arteta has said that goals will “unlock” the striker and boost his confidence, and with six in his last 12, Gyokeres is heading into the run-in with momentum restored and, fans believe, his personal life settled.
