Thomas Partey due in court on rape allegations

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is set to appear in court today on charges of rape and sexual assault, just hours after returning to north London with new club Villarreal for a Champions League clash against Tottenham.

The Ghana international came off the bench with 12 minutes remaining in Tuesday’s game, Villarreal’s first European fixture of the season. His appearance comes less than a month after he attended Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 5 August.

Partey, 32, faces five charges of rape and one of sexual assault, all of which he denies, according to his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire. Today’s hearing at Southwark Crown Court is for a plea and trial preparation.

The midfielder was formally charged in July, just days after his Arsenal contract expired on 30 June. He had joined the Gunners from Atletico Madrid in 2020. The Metropolitan Police said the allegations were first reported in February 2022.

Arsenal declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing legal process.

As for why Partey is still playing, Villarreal signed him last month after he was granted conditional bail. While he must notify police before any overseas travel and is barred from contacting the complainants, he is not restricted from playing football.

His substitute appearance on Tuesday was his first match in England since being charged, but it had little impact as Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory thanks to an early goal.