Villarreal Defend Signing of Thomas Partey Amid Legal Controversy

Villarreal have defended their decision to sign Thomas Partey after a wave of backlash from supporters, with critics labelling the move the “darkest day” in the club’s history, following the player’s recent rape charges.

The 32-year-old Ghanaian midfielder has signed a one-year contract with the La Liga club, with an option to extend for a further 12 months. The agreement was confirmed just 48 hours after Partey appeared in court in London, accused of multiple sexual offences.

A petition opposing the signing — which described Partey’s return to Spain as a “slap in the face” — gathered over 1,000 signatures before the club finalised the deal on Thursday. One social media account linked to the campaign posted: “The darkest day in the club’s history is drawing closer by the second,” ahead of the official announcement.

Partey, who previously played for Atlético Madrid before moving to Arsenal in a £45 million deal in 2020, left the Premier League club following the expiration of his contract at the end of June. Just days after becoming a free agent, he was charged with five counts of rape against two women and one count of sexual assault against a third.

He denies all allegations and was granted conditional bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, allowing him to continue his career. Under his bail conditions, he must notify the police of any permanent change of address or plans for international travel.

In a statement issued after the announcement, Villarreal said:

“The club is aware that the player is currently involved in legal proceedings in England. The player firmly maintains his innocence and denies all charges against him.

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 of the case.

Due to the law in England in relation to the ongoing proceedings, the club is unable to comment further.”

Villarreal also reaffirmed their wider ethical commitments, stating:

“The club 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 behaviour that undermines the dignity of individuals.”

Partey is expected to link up with his new team on Friday. His move comes shortly after Villarreal’s 3–2 pre-season friendly victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

During his time at Arsenal, Partey made 167 appearances, and manager Mikel Arteta had publicly described him as a “really important player for us”. The club reportedly offered him a new deal, but an agreement was not reached, allowing him to leave as a free agent.

Following the announcement of the charges, Arsenal issued a brief statement acknowledging that Partey's contract had expired and, citing “ongoing legal proceedings”, declined to comment further.

Arteta, speaking about the matter publicly for the first time last week, said:

“I think the club was very clear in its statement. There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that.”

When pressed on whether he believed the club had handled the matter appropriately, Arteta replied:

“A hundred per cent, yes.”

Partey’s decision to return to La Liga was reportedly influenced by his desire to re-establish himself in Spanish football. Villarreal’s qualification for this season’s UEFA Champions League is also thought to have played a key role in securing his signature. The club recently played both Arsenal and Leeds United as part of their pre-season preparations in England.

Partey is scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey on 2 September.