Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with two additional counts of rape involving a new alleged victim, increasing the total number of women connected to the case to four.
Thomas Partey, a 32-year-old Ghana international had already pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape linked to two women, along with one count of sexual assault involving a third complainant.
The latest charges stem from alleged incidents in 2020 that were first reported to police in August last year and followed a fresh investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
Partey is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 March for his first hearing relating to the new allegations.
He was previously granted conditional bail at Southwark Crown Court in September after entering not guilty pleas to the original charges. Those earlier allegations relate to incidents said to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, during his time with Arsenal.
The charges were formally brought four days after he left the north London club when his contract expired at the end of June. The police investigation began in February 2022, after an initial rape report was received.
A full trial, overseen by a High Court judge, is scheduled to begin on 2 November this year.
Since leaving the Premier League, Partey has joined Spanish side Villarreal on a one year contract. The club confirmed his signing after he had already been charged.
Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 in a £45.3 million transfer and went on to make 130 Premier League appearances under manager Mikel Arteta.
His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has previously said he “denies all the charges against him” and that he welcomed “the opportunity to finally clear his name”.
