A 'FOOL' VS. A TRUE SPORTSMAN | FIFA WORLD CUP IS ABOUT UNPARALLELED GLOBAL UNITY

 

GHANA MIDFIELDER THOMAS PARTEY PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO NEW RAPE CHARGES

Ghana footballer Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two new allegations of rapes.

Then-Atletico Madrid football player Thomas Partey
  -  
Copyright © africanews
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

The 32-year-old midfielder appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London (United Kingdom) on Monday (13 April).

He denied twice raping a woman in the English capital in December 2020.

In July 2025, Partey was already charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to alleged incidents from 2021 and 2022, Sky Sports reported.

He also pleaded not guilty to those charges.

The new accusations were announced in February. On Monday, Judge Tony Baumgartner agreed for all the charges to be tried together, possibly delaying the trial until January 2027.

In total, the former Arsenal player faces seven allegations of rape and one of sexual assault from four different women. He denies all the accusations.

“Thomas Partey continues to deny all charges against him. He has cooperated with the police throughout,” his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said on Monday.

Partey, who joined La Liga club Villareal last summer, remains out on bail throughout the legal proceedings.

The Ghana midfielder is expected to play in the upcoming FIFA World Cup starting in June, although a new muscle injury is raising concerns regarding his participation.

In the meantime, Partey’s case is due to be listed in court for a pre-trial hearing on 14 May, according to Sky Sports.

-Sarah Miansoni

EX-ARSENAL ACE THOMAS PARTEY PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO RAPE CHARGES HOURS AFTER PLAYING AGAINST SPURS

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to raping two women.

The 32-year-old is accused of five counts of rape against the two alleged victims, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman.

The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022 when he played for Arsenal.

Partey spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and his not guilty pleas during a short hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, where he has been charged with five counts of rape against two women, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman. Photo: Ben Whitley/PA Wire
 

The Ghanaian midfielder, who now plays for Spanish club Villarreal, faces trial under a High Court judge at the same court on November 2 next year.

Partey's latest court appearance comes hours after he came on as a substitute in his new club's Champions League fixture against Tottenham in London.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Christopher Hehir told Partey: "Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026.

"I appreciate that is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate the crown courts have a huge backlog of work which means that trials do take a long time to come on.

Villarreal's Thomas Partey during the warm down after their Champions League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London on Tuesday night.
 

"Because you have bail effectively you are sitting behind a queue of people in prison who are waiting to be tried."

The judge granted bail on the same conditions as Partey was placed under at a previous hearing - that he cannot contact any of the three women and must notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel.

Partey, who previously gave his address as Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45million.

The Ghanaian international played 35 games for the north London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals.

He has made more than 50 appearances for Ghana, including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.

An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: "The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case."

 - Josh Payne and Ellie Ng

 

 

VILLAREAL SIGNS MIDFIELDER THOMAS PARTEY AFTER HE GETS BAIL ON RAPE CHARGES

AP

VILLARREAL, Spain (AP) — Spanish soccer club Villarreal signed midfielder Thomas Partey on Thursday, two days after he was granted bail on rape charges in England.

Villarreal said the 32-year-old Ghana international, who became a free agent when his Arsenal contract expired in June, has joined “for the 2025-26 season.”

The club’s announcement touted Partey’s on-field attributes before turning to his legal case.

“The player firmly maintains his innocence and denies all charges against him. The club respects the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence and will await the outcome of the judicial process, which will be responsible for clarifying the facts of the case,” Villarreal’s statement said. “Due to the law in England in relation to ongoing proceedings the club is unable to comment further.”

AP

Partey was granted bail Tuesday after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London charged with five counts of rape. He has also been charged with one count of sexual assault. The alleged offenses, between 2021-22, relate to three women.

Villarreal added that it “wishes to clearly reiterate its strong commitment to respect and diversity and firmly condemns any act of violence in all its forms, including gender-based violence, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, or any behavior that undermines the dignity of individuals.”

- AP

SUMMARY OF THOMAS PARTEY CHARGES

 

ARSENAL BOSS DEFENDS HANDLING OF PARTEY DEPARTURE AFTER ARREST

Thomas Partey was charged by British police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault between 2021 and 2022

SINGAPORE — Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Monday defended the club’s handling of Thomas Partey’s departure after the Ghana international midfielder was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault.

Arsenal did not offer the 32-year-old a new contract at the end of last season and days later he was charged by British police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault between 2021 and 2022.

Partey is due to appear before magistrates in London on August 5.

In a statement released on July 4, the day Partey was arrested, Arsenal said: “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.”

Arteta was asked during Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Singapore whether the allegations against Partey were the deciding factor in him being released.

The Spaniard said he was “100 percent” convinced that Arsenal had followed the correct procedure, adding: “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.”

Partey joined Arsenal for £45 million from Atletico Madrid in October 2020.

He appeared 35 times in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals, and 12 times in the Champions League.

- AFP

THOMAS PARTEY'S LAWYER RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER EX-ARSENAL STAR CHARGED WITH FIVE COUNTS OF RAPE

Thomas Partey's lawyer has released a statement after the former Arsenal star was charged with five counts of rape

Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Thomas Partey's lawyer has insisted the former Arsenal midfielder “denies all the charges against him" after he was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by the Metropolitan Police.

The 32-year-old allegedly carried out the offences between 2021 and 2022, the Met Police said. Partey has been charged with two counts of rape of one woman, three counts of rape to a second woman and one count of sexual assault of a third woman.

In a statement, Partey's lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said her client "fully co-operated with the police and CPS" during the three-year investigation. "Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him," she said. "He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation.

"He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name. Given that there are now ongoing legal proceedings, my client is unable to comment further."

Partey signed for Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a fee of £45million. He went on to make 167 appearances for the club before leaving following the expiration of his contract on June 30.

Partey, of Hertfordshire, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, whose team is leading the investigation, said: “Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward.

“We would ask anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team. You can contact detectives about this investigation by emailing CIT@met.police.uk.”

- Sam Truelove

FOOTBALLER THOMAS PARTTEY CHARGED WITH RAPE

Arsenal FC via Getty

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The offences are reported to have taken place between 2021-2022, the Metropolitan Police said.

The charges involve three women with two counts of rape relating to one woman, three counts of rape in connection to a second woman and one count of sexual assault linked to a third woman.

The 32-year-old's contract with Arsenal ended on Monday after playing with the team since 2020. BBC News has contacted the team for comment.

The charges follow an investigation by detectives, which started in February 2022 after police first received a report of rape.

Det Supt Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: "Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward.

"We would ask anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team. You can contact detectives about this investigation by emailing CIT@met.police.uk"

Mr Partey, of Hertfordshire, is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 5 August.

He joined Arsenal for £45.3m from Atletico Madrid in October 2020, made 35 top-flight appearances last season and scored four goals as the London club finished second in the Premier League.

He also played 12 times in the Champions League as the Gunners reached the semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual winners Paris St-Germain.

Overall, he made 130 Premier League appearances for Mikel Arteta's side, scoring nine goals.

Mr Partey has also made appearances for Ghana's national team.

- Hannah Price

NORGAARD VS. PARTEY | STATS | PREMIER LEAGUE 2024/25

 

ARSENAL ISSUE THOMAS PARTEY TRANSFER STATEMENT AFTER BARCELONA CONTRACT TALKS

Thomas Partey's contract with Arsenal expires this month and the midfielder has been linked with a free transfer to Barcelona, despite Mikel Arteta wanting him to stay

Arsenal have confirmed that they remain in talks with Thomas Partey over his future at the club. Partey, 31, sees his current deal expire on June 30 but boss Mikel Arteta wants to keep him.

The midfielder is claimed to have held talks with La Liga giants Barcelona over a potential free transfer. Partey spent his formative years in Spain and joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for £45million in 2020.

This season, the Ghanian played more games than ever for Arsenal. Partey made a total of 52 appearances, topping his previous best tally of 40.

But his future remains uncertain, with Arsenal issuing an update when announcing their retained and released list on Wednesday. Partey is one of two men's team players whose current terms run out at the end of this month.

A passage read: "The following players' contracts also expire on June 30, 2025. Discussions are ongoing, and once matters are finalised between all parties, we will communicate in due course: Chloe Kelly, Thomas Partey and Michal Rosiak."

Arteta has gone on record to state that he hopes Partey will sign a new deal. "I think consistency-wise it's been his best season," the Arsenal manager said last month. "The way he's played, performed, his availability, has been exceptional and he's a really important player for us."

In April, Arteta was asked if there'd been any progress in contract talks with the 31-year-old. "Yes, there is progress with all the players," he replied. "I'll leave that to [sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and the club to decide and to talk about."

Pushed on whether it's his intention to have Partey in his squad next season, Arteta continued: "The intention is very clear. I'll leave that to Andrea and the club to take a step forward."

Mikel Arteta wants to keep Thomas Partey at Arsenal(Image: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Aside from the Ghana international, Arsenal have confirmed the departure of first-team stars Kieran Tierney and Jorginho. Tierney, 27, is set to rejoin former club Celtic while 33-year-old Jorginho has been linked with a move to Flamengo.

Loanee Raheem Sterling is confirmed to be returning to Chelsea. Neto will also return to Bounemouth after making just a single appearance.

Arsenal's full retained and released list: Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Reece Clairmont, Khayon Edwards, Jakai Fisher, Romari Forde, Teyah Goldie, Jimi Gower, Jack Henry-Francis, Lina Hurtig, Amanda Ilestedt, Jorginho, Max Kuczynski, Salah-Eddine Oulad M'Hand, Ismail Oulad M'Hand, Neto. Brian Okonkwo. Elian Quesada-Thorn, Zacariah Shuaib, Raheem Sterling, Kieran Tierney.

- Nathan Ridley

ARSENAL HANDED QUADRUPLE SUSPENSION BOOST FOR PSG CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLASH AS UEFA RULES EXPLAIN

Referee Francois Letexier shows a yellow card to David Raya of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg with Real Madrid (Image: (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images))

Arsenal will be without one player due to suspension for the Champions League semi-final first leg with Paris Saint-Germain

Arsenal may have a number of players doubtful for the Champions League semi-final clash with PSG due to injury, but they can be thankful that UEFA rules mean they do not have players walking a suspension tightrope.

The Gunners will definitely be without six players, with Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori ruled out through injury and Thomas Partey suspended for the first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium.

And there are also doubts over the fitness of the likes of Mikel Merino and Ben White, both of whom were spotted in training at London Colney yesterday, while Jorginho has been absent from the last three matchday squads too.

But while there was confusion over Thomas Partey's suspension for the clash, the Gunners may well be grateful for UEFA rules stopping as many as four other players from walking a suspension tightrope.

Partey picked up his third yellow card in the competition late on in the second leg of the quarter-final win over Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu.

Under UEFA rules, Article 52.04 states : "All yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals."

That led to many thinking Partey would escape a ban, but because he picked up the third yellow before the conclusion of the quarter-final, it is not wiped out and he will therefore miss the first leg against PSG on Tuesday night.

That same rule, however, stops four Arsenal players from walking a tightrope to potentially miss the second leg of the semi-final and even the final, should they get there.

Declan Rice was on two yellow cards heading into the second leg against Los Blancos and managed to avoid a third, getting visibly frustrated with Partey after his needless booking for a coming together with Dani Ceballos late on.

Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber were also walking tightropes in the quarter-final second leg, but came through unscathed. Goalkeeper David Raya did pick up a second booking for the tournament against Madrid in the second leg, but that was wiped out after the final whistle.

Then only way any Arsenal player will miss the second leg or the final now would be through injury or through a red card in either of the matches with PSG.

Arsenal face PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on April 29 and fans can watch it free with an Amazon Prime subscription or by signing up for a 30-day free trial.

- Lee Wilmot

THOMAS PARTEY | ARSENAL FOOTBALL

 

THOMAS PARTEY | POST MATCH INTERVIEW | ARSENAL 1-1 BRENTFORD

 

ARSENAL SUBMIT OFFER TO SIGN WORLD CLASS BAYERN MÜNCHEN STAR

Bayern Munich stars Harry Kane and Joshua Kimmich

Arsenal have made their move for an elite Bayern Munich star, with two reports in Germany providing full details on the proposed move.

The need for a potent new striker is hoovering up many of the headlines regarding Arsenal and their transfer plans for the summer. However, additions in other areas are being sought by the club ahead of potential exits.

Midfielders Jorginho (33) and Thomas Partey (31) are both out of contract at season’s end. According to the latest out of Germany, Arsenal want Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich to replace Jorginho specifically.

Kimmich is in his tenth season in Munich and despite being 30 years of age, is a world class operator in two positions. Indeed, the versatile German is equally at home playing at right-back or in central midfield.

Kimmich has lifted 20 major honours during his time with Bayern including eight league titles and a Champions League, though his storied spell with the Bundesliga’s biggest club looks to be coming to an end.

Kimmich is out of contract in the summer and had been engaged in talks over an extension with Bayern. But per BILD chief Christian Falk, Bayern recently rescinded the offer they’d put to Kimmich.

Falk wrote on X:  ‘FC Bayern has withdrawn its offer for a new contract for Joshua Kimmich.’

A subsequent update from Sky Germany has shed light on precisely why talks between Bayern and Kimmich broke down.

They revealed Kimmich informed Bayern he had received two ‘official and written offers’ from clubs outside of Germany.

With those offers in his mind, Kimmich continued to stall on penning fresh terms in Munich, much to the club’s annoyance.

Arsenal are claimed to be one of the two clubs who’ve made a move, with the report stating they’ve ‘intensified its efforts to sign Joshua Kimmich in recent days and has held concrete talks.’

What will Joshua Kimmich decide?

It’s important to note that while Bayern have withdrawn the offer they had made, Sky Germany insisted Bayern could still attempt to forge an extension.

The final offer Bayern made contained a gross salary offer of €20m per season that would run until the end of the 2027/28 season (three-year deal). €20m per year equates to a pre-tax weekly wage of around £315,000.

Bayern officials are said to have become ‘astonished and angry’ that this sizeable offer was not enough to convince Kimmich to sign.

As such, any new offer they put on the table will either be at that same amount or even lower.

With relations between the parties appearing to be souring, the door is ajar for rival clubs like Arsenal to strike.

And given Kimmich has thus far resisted the temptation to re-sign with Bayern despite their sizeable offer, there appears to be a willingness to explore a move away.

The identity of the other team to put an official contract offer to Kimmich is believed to be PSG.

- Steve Pearson

TOP 15 BEST DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS IN THE WORLD THIS SEASON (2025)

 

LEICESTER 0-2 ARSENAL: POST MATCH PLAYER RATINGS

Mikel Merino celebrates after scoring against Leicester City (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Arsenal left it late, but substitute Mikel Merino scored a brace to send the Gunners to within four points of leaders Liverpool.

After a first half with little attacking threat, the Gunners took the lead in the 81st minute. The inspired substitution of Merino paid dividends when the Spaniard fired Arsenal ahead as he headed home an Ethan Nwaneri cross.

Nwaneri, arguably the best player on the pitch, was the only real attacking threat until the introduction of Merino.

The former Real Sociedad midfielder scored a second six minutes later when he fired a Leandro Trossard cross past Mads Hermansen.

The Foxes looked shellshocked from there on out and Arsenal cruised to a comfortable win and closed the gap to leaders Liverpool ahead of their game against Wolves. 

• Arsenal player ratings:

David Raya – 7

Raya was not tested much but when called upon he made some good stops. The save from Wilfried Ndidi kept the game level at the interval.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – 7

Another solid display from the Hale End graduate. Lewis-Skelly’s most important intervention came before he was substituted when he prodded a Jordan Ayew away from the lurking Bobby Reid. The Jamaican winger had a certain tap-in if it wasn’t for the young left-back’s efforts.

Gabriel Magalhães – 7

Gabriel was an aerial threat from set-pieces but when is he not? The former Lille defender had little to do in terms of defensive work.

William Saliba – 7

The Frenchman dealt with the pace of Jamie Vardy well. Vardy had a quiet game and rarely threatened the Arsenal defence.

Jurrien Timber – 7

Timber was solid all around today. The Dutch defender was an attacking threat and also solid when the Foxes made a rare venture into the Arsenal half.

Thomas Partey – 6

Partey put up a decent showing against Leicester but made a few sloppy passes when looking to progress the ball.

Declan Rice – 7

Rice was decent in the No.8 role and carried the ball well. The English midfielder was one of the larger attacking threats in a game lacking quality.

Martin Odegaard – 6

Leicester did a good job in nullifying Odegaard’s threat on the ball. Apart from a few incisive passes, the midfielder was quiet for large parts of the encounter.

Raheem Sterling – 3

Sterling put in a low-quality display. When he was in possession, he failed to beat a man and lost the ball on multiple occasions. The Chelsea loanee is bereft of confidence and needs to pick up form if he is to remain at a top club.

Leandro Trossard – 6

Trossard had little service as the striker but did pull off a fine assist for Merino’s second goal. As the saying goes; if you cannot score, make sure you are still providing goals.

Ethan Nwaneri – 8

Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Arsenal FC (Credit: Shaun Botterill/GettyImages).

Nwaneri put in a performance of the highest quality against the Foxes. The Hale End graduate was by far the most threatening player, hitting the woodwork on two occasions. His cross for Merino’s opening goal was simply world-class.

Substitutes:

Mikel Merino – 8

Merino put in a superb performance as a makeshift striker. The Spaniard attacker the space in behind well and produced two good finishes to fire the Gunners to all three points.

Riccardo Calafiori – 6

The Italian was solid defensively when called upon in his short spell on the pitch.

Jorginho – 6

The former Chelsea man did not have time to impact the game, but did make a few key passes to help Arsenal keep the ball. 

Kieran Tierney – N/A

The Scot did not have time to impact the game. 

Arsenal take on West Ham next weekend as they look to continue their 15-game unbeaten Premier League run. 

- Harry Cooper-Smith

MICHAEL ESSIEN ON THOMAS PARTEY | VIA SPORTY FM

 

ARSENAL FAN GETS 3-YEAR BAN FOR ONLINE ABUSE OF THOMAS PARTEY

A fan who racially abused Arsenal player Thomas Partey in a social media post was banned from attending all games for three years on Tuesday.

Charles Ogunmilade, who is Black, admitted to sending a "grossly offensive" message on X, which he claimed was satire of what a racist white person would say.

He posted the offensive comment in April 2023 after Partey, a Ghana international who is Black, missed a shot during Arsenal's 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The court in London was informed the post on X was reported to the police, who visited Ogunmilade's home. He said the comment was intended to be a sarcastic quote among a group of friends.

"I am not a racist person," Ogunmilade said in court.

While issuing his sentence, magistrate Shaoni Myer said Ogunmilade's early guilty plea, prior good character and experience of racism were taken into account.

The soccer banning order also requires him to surrender his passport to police whenever the England men's national team plays an away game abroad. He was ordered to pay a fine and costs totaling £260 ($325).

- Associated Press 

THOMAS PARTEY | 100 APPEARANCES

 

ARSENAL LEAVES 11 PLAYERS AT HOME FOR LIVERPOOL MATCH ON US TOUR AMID TRANSFERS

Arsenal have announced a 26-man squad for their pre-season tour of the United States with 11 players not making the trip.

Mikel Arteta's side will be without several key players who are likely to feature in his starting XI for the Premier League season due to their involvement in Euro 2024 and the Copa America. As such, the Gunners will be without a group of players while Stateside.

Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, David Raya and William Saliba will not travel after featuring at the Euros. The north London outfit still have friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon scheduled between their return from the USA and the start of the Premier League season.

From July 25, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz will link up with the squad. They will arrive in the States after Arsenal's match against Bournemouth but before games against Manchester United and Liverpool.

Kieran Tierney, who injured his hamstring representing Scotland at the Euros, and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has a knee injury, will not make the trip. Both will receive treatment in London from the club's medical staff at Sobha Realty Training Centre.

New signing Tommy Setford is included in the travelling party as Arteta takes a squad of mixed experience. Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Jurrien Timber have travelled, while Leandro Trossard, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jukub Kiwior are also with the team following their involvement at the Euros.

Emile Smith Rowe is also part of the travelling squad, despite transfer interest from Fulham and Crystal Palace. However, Charlie Patino didn't make the cut.

The midfielder is set to leave this summer after a loan spell at Swansea City last year. The 20 year old featured in an Arsenal XI victory over Leyton Orient on Saturday, with the team predominantly heading to the US including Gabriel Jesus.

Goalkeepers: Karl Hein, Tommy Setford, Lucas Nygaard, Alexei Rojas.

Defenders: Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Josh Nichols, Jakub Kiwior, Ayden Heaven, Omar Rekik. 

Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Michal Rosiak, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Ethan Nwaneri, SalahEddine Oulad M'Hand, Jimi Gower.

Forwards: Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Charles Sagoe Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah.

Liverpool.com says: Like Liverpool, Arsenal will be missing a host of first-team players for the tour of the States. The two line-ups that face off in Philadelphia will be a long way off the teams that take to the field for the start of the Premier League campaign. It will still be a good watch for our fans in the States though.