Saturday, July 5, 2025 - Arsenal football club have broken their silence after former midfielder Thomas Partey was charged with five counts of r@pe and one count of s£xual ass@ult, just days after his contract at the club expired.
In a short statement issued to the BBC, the club said:
'The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the
club is unable to comment on the case.'
The 32-year-old Ghana international, who spent five seasons
in north London, is accused of attacking three women between 2021 and 2022
following a three-year investigation by Scotland Yard.
He is now due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on
August 5.
Partey, who was signed by Arsenal for £45million
from Atletico Madrid in 2020, denies all the charges against him.
In a statement released through his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire
of Hickman and Rose, Partey said he 'welcomes the opportunity to finally clear
his name' and has 'fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their
investigation'.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that the charges
were authorised after it 'carefully reviewed a comprehensive file of evidence'.
According to the Metropolitan Police, two counts of r@pe
relate to one woman, three counts of rape relate to a second woman, and the
s£xual ass@ult charge relates to a third woman. None of the alleged victims can
be named for legal reasons.
The investigation began in February 2022, with Partey first
arrested in July of that year, though he was not publicly named at the time and
continued to play for Arsenal while on bail. It has since emerged that he made
over 50 appearances for the club during the period in which the investigation
was ongoing.
Detective Superintendent 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.'
Partey left Arsenal last month following the expiry of his
contract, with reports suggesting negotiations over a new deal had stalled
weeks earlier. The midfielder has been training in Ghana as he looks for a new
club and recently won the Ghana Footballer of the Year award.
He made 167 appearances for Arsenal, scoring nine goals, and
was part of the side that won the Community Shield in 2023. Despite injury
setbacks, Partey returned to feature regularly last season as Mikel Arteta's
side finished second in the Premier League and reached the Champions League
semi-finals.
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