Spanish club Villarreal signed midfielder Thomas Partey on Thursday, just two days after he was granted bail on rape charges in England.
The 32-year-old Ghana international, a free agent since his Arsenal contract expired in June, agreed to join Villarreal for the 2025-26 season.
In announcing the deal, the club highlighted Partey’s on-field qualities before addressing his legal situation.
“The player firmly maintains his innocence and denies all charges against him,” Villarreal said in a statement. “The club respects the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence and will await the outcome of the judicial process, which will be responsible for clarifying the facts. Due to the law in England in relation to ongoing proceedings, the club is unable to comment further.”
Partey appeared Tuesday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, where he was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The alleged offenses, involving three women, date to 2021 and 2022.
Villarreal added that it “wishes to clearly reiterate its strong commitment to respect and diversity and firmly condemns any act of violence in all its forms, including gender-based violence, discrimination, racism, xenophobia or any behavior that undermines the dignity of individuals.”
The midfielder was expected to join the team at its training ground Friday, Villarreal said, which did not specify if the contract extends beyond one season.
Arsenal hosted Villarreal in a preseason friendly Wednesday at Emirates Stadium. Partey joined Arsenal nearly five years ago from Atlético Madrid.
Partey’s lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, previously said he “denies all the charges against him.”
Police said the investigation was opened in February 2022 when it first received a report of rape. Partey was charged July 4, days after his Arsenal contract expired.
He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Sept. 2.
