Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey has denied five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, as he appeared in a London court on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Villarreal midfielder is accused of sexually assaulting three women, with the alleged incidents taking place between 2021 and 2022 when he was playing for Premier League club Arsenal.
At Southwark Crown Court, Partey confirmed his name and date of birth and pleaded not guilty to all the charges. He faces accusations of raping two women and assaulting a third, but vehemently rejected the claims in court.
The charges were brought against Partey just days after his contract with Arsenal expired at the end of June. Four days later, he left the club and signed for Spanish side Villarreal in August. Partey made his debut for the La Liga club in their Champions League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday, playing as a substitute in the 78th minute of the 1-0 loss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Partey, who joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for £45 million, made 52 appearances for the Gunners last season, scoring four goals. During his time at the club, he accumulated a total of 167 appearances and netted nine goals. He has also earned over 50 caps for Ghana.
In response to the ongoing legal case, an Arsenal spokesperson remarked, “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case.”
