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Thomas Partey left Arsenal at the end of his contract on June 30, and just four days later, he was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The investigation of these charges began in 2022 while Partey was part of the club, with reported two counts of rape concering one woman, three counts involving a second woman, and one count of sexual assault relating to another woman. Arsenal is currently in Singapore for their pre-season tour and will face AC Milan on Wednesday, ahead of the game a question regarding Partey came up in a pre-match press conference.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta, while answering when asked about the handling of Thomas Partey’s matter by the club said he is “100% sure” the club followed the right procedures when dealing with the former midfielder. “The club was very clear in its statement,” Arteta said. He further added, “There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that.” The 32-year-old Thomas Partey is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5. According to a report, Partey denies the charges and “welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name,” his lawyer has said.
Thomas Partey was part of the Gunners’ camp since 2020
Thomas Partey signed for Atletico Madrid in 2012, making 188 appearances for the Spanish club, helping them win the Europa League in 2018 and La Liga in 2021. Arsenal signed him from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 in a deal costing £45 million. He made 35 appearances for the Gunners last season and scored four goals as Arsenal finished second.
Overall, he has played 167 games for the Gunners, scoring nine goals and seven assists. He has 53 caps for the Ghana national team, scoring 15 goals for the African nation. Since leaving Arsenal, Partey has not signed with any other club and remains a free agent, it is currently unclear whether he will resume his playing career, with the outcome of the legal proceedings likely to determine his future in football.
