LONDON — For three seasons, Thomas Partey was the engine of Arsenal’s resurgence. The $60 million defensive midfielder’s physical presence and composed passing helped lift the North London club back into the upper echelons of the Premier League.
Although plagued by injuries during his later stages at the club, the Ghanaian-born player’s presence on the field was always felt.
After his contract with Arsenal expired in 2025, things took a turn for Partey.
The UK Metropolitan Police first received a formal allegation of rape against the midfielder in February 2022. This initial complaint involved an incident alleged to have taken place in 2021.
The case became public news on July 4, 2022, when a “Premier League footballer in his 20s” was arrested at an address in Barnet, North London, on suspicion of rape. The player would later be revealed to be Partey.
Arsenal was made aware of the arrest immediately.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the club made the controversial decision to allow him to continue playing and traveling for pre-season tours.
Their justification was that the player denied the allegations and had not been formally charged.
Formal Charges in 2025
It took nearly three years from the initial report for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to authorize formal charges.
This was the moment his name was legally allowed to be published in connection with the crimes.
Interestingly, it was exactly three years after his first arrest, and just four days after his Arsenal contract expired, that Partey was formally charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
After the charges, Arsenal officially released a statement: “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case.”
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta was asked by reporters about Partey’s situation during the club’s pre-season tour in Singapore. The coach stated that he was behind the club’s decision on how the case was handled.
“100%, yes. I think the club was very clear in its statement. There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated, so I cannot comment on any of that“, he said.
Arsenal had tried to negotiate a new contract with Partey. Some Arsenal employees had reached out to The Athletic to express disbelief and disappointment, adding that they felt they were not alone in their concerns.
Partey left the club on June 30, 2025.
New Charges
On Thursday, February 12th, British authorities announced two fresh charges of rape against Mr. Partey, bringing the total number of sexual offense counts against the Ghanaian international to eight.
The new allegations involve a third woman and stemmed from a complaint filed independently regarding an incident in 2020.
The club’s decision not to suspend Mr. Partey while he played at Arsenal drew fierce criticism from advocacy groups like Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence.
“We never wanted to be in a situation where the club we love was playing a player facing such serious allegations week-in, week-out,” said Honor Barber, a member of the group.
Arsenal has consistently maintained that it followed legal advice.
Observers point to the risk of multi-million dollar “wrongful suspension” lawsuits—a specter raised by the case of Benjamin Mendy, who successfully sued Manchester City for unpaid wages after being acquitted of similar charges.
The Shift to Spain
After Partey left Arsenal, he signed a new contract with the Spanish club Villarreal.
Villarreal’s manager, Marcelino García Toral, was asked about the legal situation amid signing the midfielder.
“We are really happy that Thomas is with us for his football ability, and his presence as a human,” he said.
“He could be totally innocent,” he added about the legal issues.
The move has not been without controversy. Supporters of the team criticised the signing of the midfielder.
Partey’s journey at his new club so far has been subpar. He has struggled for form and has been frequently targeted by opposing fans.
The Road Ahead
Mr. Partey has pled not guilty to all previous charges and is expected to do the same for the two new counts when he appears in court on March 13.
His legal team, led by Jenny Wiltshire, has stated that he “welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name” after a “protracted and painful three-year process.”
As the legal proceedings ramp up, the case could stand as a landmark for how football clubs handle serious criminal allegations against their most valuable assets.
For now, Mr. Partey remains out on bail.
The Ghana national football team, the Black Stars, will begin their World Cup campaign in June without the midfielder.
The team’s head coach, Otto Addo, traveled to Spain in late January 2026 to meet with Partey personally.
Following that meeting and Villarreal’s 3-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, the feedback from both the national team and his club has been focused on his lack of “match rhythm.”
For now, Partey’s career—and his reputation—is tethered to a trial date set for late 2026.
This article was edited with AI and reviewed by human editors
