Former Arsenal and current Villareal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault during an appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London.
Partey, 32, is accused of five counts of rape involving two women and one charge of sexual assault relating to a third woman. The alleged offences occurred between April 2021 and June 2022, a period during which Partey was a regular fixture in Arsenal’s Premier League squad.
He was charged four days after leaving Arsenal at the end of June, following the expiry of his contract. He has since signed with Spanish side Villarreal.
Appearing in the dock on Wednesday, Partey spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth before entering not guilty pleas to each charge. The court granted him bail until his trial, which is scheduled to begin on 2 November 2026 and is expected to last between six and eight weeks.
As part of his bail conditions, Partey must notify police of any international travel 24 hours in advance and is prohibited from contacting any of the complainants. However, the conditions do not prevent him from continuing to play football.
The Ghana international was already in England ahead of his court appearance, having featured for Villarreal in their Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night. Partey came on as a second-half substitute and was met with loud boos from Spurs supporters each time he touched the ball. Villarreal lost the match 1–0.
