Villarreal signs midfielder Thomas Partey after he gets bail on rape charges
Villarreal said the 32-year-old Ghana international, who became a free agent when his Arsenal contract expired in June, signed a one-year contract.
The club's announcement touted Partey's on-field attributes before turning to his legal case.
'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,' Villarreal's statement said. 'Due to the law in England in relation to ongoing proceedings the club is unable to comment further.'
Partey was granted bail Tuesday after appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London charged with five counts of rape. He has also been charged with one count of sexual assault. The alleged offenses, between 2021-22, relate to three women.
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 on Friday, Villarreal said.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
Partey's lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has 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.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
39 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
London police arrest more than 200 people as pro-Palestinian protesters defy new law
LONDON (AP) — British police said they arrested more than 200 people in central London on Saturday as supporters of a recently banned pro-Palestinian group intentionally flouted the law as part of their effort to force the government to reconsider the ban. Parliament in early July passed a law banning Palestine Action and making it a crime to publicly support the organization. That came after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and vandalized two tanker planes to protest against Britain's support for Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen aiming for elite company at Watkins Glen International
Shane van Gisbergen is introduced before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) SS flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Lions' Morice Norris shares good news after he was taken off field in ambulance
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris shared a social post Saturday, saying he's OK and thanking people for their support after he was taken off the field in an ambulance late in a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons. Norris reposted a screenshot about being grateful along with a Bible verse, adding a message of his own. 'Amen Amen,' he posted on his Instagram story. 'I'm all good man don't stress,' he said, adding he appreciates all of the check-ins and support. Norris was in stable condition late Friday night after he was attended to for about 20 minutes by medical personnel and taken to an Atlanta hospital. The 24-year-old Norris was hurt with 14:50 left in the preseason game after hitting Falcons running back Nathan Carter. He hit Carter with his facemask facing the running back's midsection and his head snapped back after assisting on the tackle. When play resumed, Atlanta quarterback Emory Jones snapped the ball as players from both teams stood at the line of scrimmage as the clock continued to run. 'Usually you see a couple trainers out there,' Lions quarterback Kyle Allen said. 'It's never good when they bring out the stretchers.' With 6:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, an official announced the game had been suspended 'per New York' with the Lions leading the Falcons 17-10. Detroit coach Dan Campbell and Atlanta coach Raheem Morris made the decision to not finish the game. 'Raheem Morris is a class act,' Campbell said. 'He's the ultimate class act. We agreed it just didn't feel right to finish that game.' Norris, a former Fresno State standout, played in eight games last season after earning a spot on the team as an undrafted rookie. NFL preseason games ended early in consecutive weeks two years ago. New England's game at Green Bay in Week 2 of the 2023 preseason was called off when Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden was carted off in the fourth quarter. Bolden appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Malik Heath of the Packers. Bolden was taken to a hospital and released the next day. A week later, a game between Miami and Jacksonville was not completed after Dolphins receiver Daewood Davis was carted off in the fourth quarter. Davis was hurt when he ran a slant route and was attempting to catch a pass when he was hit by Jaguars linebacker Dequan Jackson. Davis was released from the hospital a day later. The two frightening injuries happened some eight months after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the field during a regular-season game at Cincinnati in January 2023. Hamlin has enjoyed a remarkable recovery and resumed football the following season and spent last year as a Bills starter. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'You sign up for football and you understand the risk, you understand the injury risk,' Allen said. 'You never think something like that is going to happen. At the end of the day we're all out here as football players. We may be on 32 different teams but we've all played football our whole lives and had our own injuries and been through it.' ___ AP Sports Writers Charles Odum and John Wawrow contributed. ___ AP NFL:
