charges ahead of November trial

Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with two additional counts of rape, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed on Thursday.

The 32-year-old, currently with Spanish side Villarreal, is set to stand trial in November after previously denying five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The new allegations mean Partey now faces a total of seven charges linked to incidents between 2021 and 2022, a period when he was a first-team regular at Arsenal in the Premier League.

Partey is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 13 March, in relation to the fresh charges.

He remains on bail and is allowed to continue playing professional football. However, he must notify police at least 24 hours before any international travel and is barred from contacting the complainants.

Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Partey continues to be a key player for the Ghana national team as they prepare to face England at the World Cup group stage in the United States on June 23.

The former Arsenal midfielder will face the full set of charges in court later this year.