Hot SourceThomas Partey’s legal troubles are set to follow him into the new football season, with the midfielder due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 17 September, just a day after his new club Villarreal take on Tottenham in the Champions League.
The former Arsenal star, who completed a controversial move to the Spanish side in early August, is facing five counts of rape involving two women, and a separate allegation of sexual assault involving a third.
The charges relate to incidents said to have taken place between 2021 and 2022. He denies all allegations.
Partey was initially scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey this week, but the case was adjourned without explanation. He is currently on bail, barred from contacting the complainants.
The move to Villarreal sparked outrage, with fans launching petitions and voicing opposition to his signing.
He was met with boos during his debut against Oviedo, though he has since gone on to make three LaLiga appearances.
Villarreal president Fernando Roig has defended the club’s decision to sign the Ghana international, insisting that Partey must be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“At this moment, Partey is as innocent as the rest of us here. A fundamental right like this must be respected,” Roig said.
Partey is also expected to feature for Ghana in their World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali this month.
For now, the midfielder’s career remains entangled with the courts, with the hearing in London set to test both his resolve on the pitch and the patience of fans off it.
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