The Ghana international midfielder Thomas Partey intends to plead not guilty to two fresh counts of rape, a court in London has heard.
The 32-year-old, who moved from Arsenal to Spanish side Villarreal CF last year, faces new allegations relating to an incident involving a woman in December 2020. These latest charges were brought against the footballer in February.
Partey did not attend the preliminary hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 13 March.
However, his legal representative, Emma Fenn, told the court that the player maintains his innocence and will formally enter “not guilty” pleas at a crown court appearance scheduled for next month.
These two new counts add to a significant legal briefcase involving the midfielder. Last year, Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving separate complainants.
The court heard that the alleged offences in the earlier cases took place between 2021 and 2022.
Partey has already pleaded not guilty to those charges, with a trial date currently set for November at Southwark Crown Court.
Prosecutor Arabella MacDonald told the hearing on Friday that the complainant in the most recent case contacted authorities after media coverage of the initial allegations became widespread.
Thomas Partey was a high-profile figure in North London for three years, having joined Arsenal from Atlético Madrid in 2020 for a reported £45m fee. He left the Premier League for La Liga in 2025.
On the international stage, he remains a key figure for the Black Stars, earning more than 50 caps for Ghana and featuring in both the FIFA World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
District judges granted Partey bail following the brief hearing. The bail conditions strictly prohibit him from contacting the complainant in the new case.
The footballer is now expected to appear at a Crown Court hearing on 10 April, where he will formally respond to the latest charges.
