Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and sexual assault at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court.
The 32-year-old Ghana international, who now plays for Villarreal in Spain, is accused of six offences alleged to have taken place between April 2021 and June 2022 while he was still an Arsenal player.
Partey is charged with three counts of rape relating to one complainant, two counts of rape relating to a second complainant, and one count of sexual assault relating to a third.
The alleged incidents are said to have occurred at his £6million home in Arkley, Hertfordshire, and at a luxury hotel in Marbella, Spain.
Thomas Partey appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday
|PA
Wearing a dark quarter-zip top and navy blazer, Partey confirmed his name and date of birth before entering not guilty pleas to all six counts.
Judge Christopher Hehir set a trial date of 2 November 2026, with proceedings expected to last six to eight weeks.
Explaining the lengthy delay, the judge cited the “huge backlog of cases” in the Crown Court system, adding that the footballer “has the benefit of bail” but remains “in a queue behind people waiting in prison to be tried”.
Judge Hehir also instructed Partey to remain in regular contact with his legal team and warned that he must attend court for the trial.
Partey was charged in July, four days after the expiry of his Arsenal contract.
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Thomas Partey currently plays for Villarreal in Spain
|PA
He later signed with Villarreal, who issued a statement at the time saying they “respect the fundamental presumption of innocence and will await the outcome of the judicial process”.
The midfielder, who joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a £45 million transfer, made over 50 appearances for the north London club in his final season and was named Ghana’s Footballer of the Year for the third time earlier this year.
He appeared in court the morning after featuring for Villarreal in a Champions League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, during which he was booed by sections of the home crowd.
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Thomas Partey left Arsenal on a free transfer back in the summer
| GETTYNo further comments were made outside court. Partey remains on unconditional bail pending the start of his trial in late 2026.