Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal were '100%' RIGHT in handling of Thomas Partey case amid claims complaints were raised with the Gunners 'almost a YEAR' before he was arrested
The Gunners boss insisted that the club '100 per cent' followed the 'right processes' amid widespread criticism following the revelation that complaints were made about the midfielder almost a year before his first arrest in 2022.
Partey is accused of attacking three women between 2021 and 2022. He was first arrested in July 2022 but The Telegraph claimed to have seen definitive evidence that Arsenal, the FA, and the Premier League were aware of concerns as early as September 2021.
Reportedly, no formal investigation was launched in the wake of that, because they fell outside the FA's safeguarding responsibility for adults and minors 'at risk' in the sport.
Partey left Arsenal last month following the expiry of his contract, with reports suggesting negotiations over a new deal had stalled weeks earlier.
Speaking ahead of the start of his side's pre-season tour of Asia, Arteta insisted he was unable to comment on the 'very complicated' legal matter but did maintain that the club acted in the correct manner.
Partey, who spent five years in north London, played more than 50 games for Arsenal while on bail, it has emerged
Partey left Arsenal last month following the expiry of his contract, with reports suggesting negotiations over a new deal had stalled
As reported by ESPN, when pushed on whether he believes the club followed the right processes, Arteta replied: '100 per cent.'
The charges against Partey follow a three-year investigation by Scotland Yard and came just five days after his Arsenal contract expired on June 30.
He is currently without a club after five Premier League seasons at the Emirates.
The Ghanaian international midfielder is accused of five counts of rape. Two counts of rape relate to one woman and three counts of rape relate to a second woman.
The one count of sexual assault relates to a third woman. None of the alleged victims can be named. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 5.
The Crown Prosecution Service has said the charges came after it 'carefully reviewed a comprehensive file of evidence'.
Partey 'denies all the charges against him' and 'welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name', his lawyer said.
The Metropolitan Police said the investigation into Thomas Partey began in February 2022 after officers first received a report of rape.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
He played more than 50 games for Arsenal while on bail, it has emerged.
In a statement, his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire, of Hickman and Rose, said: 'Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him.
'He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation.
'He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name.
'Given that there are now ongoing legal proceedings, my client is unable to comment further.'
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, whose team is leading the investigation, said: 'Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward.
'We would ask anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team. You can contact detectives about this investigation by emailing CIT@met.police.uk'.
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The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Sarina Wiegman says Euro 2025 ‘craziest' run of tournament matches in her career
England boss Sarina Wiegman concedes Euro 2025 is the 'craziest' run of tournament matches in her managerial career. The Dutchwoman's defending champions are now just one win away from their second major trophy, but will need to seek revenge on Spain – who beat them in the World Cup final two summers ago – to secure back-to-back European titles. To reach this point, the Lionesses have leaned on late heroics, a never-say-die attitude, a sprinkle of luck and the wisdom of a head coach described by her Football Association boss as priceless, one who has now led teams to an unprecedented five consecutive major-tournament finals. 'In this environment you have challenges all the time. Before the World Cup, we had challenges with players who were injured,' said Wiegman. 'Of course, we prepare a lot and we know the players really well. We think of scenarios, 'Who is the first player to select? Who is the second?'. You're prepared for challenges. 'But in this tournament, it has been the craziest one with how the games went. That has been different.' Wiegman was forced to navigate through tumult even before the tournament started. The shock retirements of Euro 2022-winning goalkeeper Mary Earps and attacking midfielder Fran Kirby were followed by veteran defender Millie Bright – who captained England at the 2023 World Cup – withdrawing from selection to prioritise her physical and mental health. 'Of course, the challenge ahead of the tournament – whether players are available or not – the result is the same as an injured player or a player who is not available,' said Wiegman. 'You have to move on to what you want and who is ready to compete.' Some of those primed to do battle were expected – like Lucy Bronze, the 33-year-old now seven-time major tournament veteran Wiegman hailed as 'one of a kind', after she sparked England's stunning quarter-final comeback over Sweden with a late goal, then emphatically netted the winning penalty with the Lionesses' seventh try. But surprise standouts have also emerged in Switzerland, perhaps none so powerfully as 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang, twice England's saviour with equalisers in their quarter and semi-final comebacks. Speaking to Agyemang, who has won three of her four England caps at this tournament, or 21-year-old Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones, paints a picture of Wiegman as a maternal figure, particularly for her seven major-tournament debutants. 'Yeah (I feel like a mum)', agreed Wiegman. 'You know, sometimes when people say about 'the girls' I think, are they meaning my daughters, or are they meaning my team. 'So that's tricky, I'm kind of a caring person so I need to, maybe that's the part, I care about them but at the same time I'm the coach, I'm making these hard decisions at the moment so sometimes you should leave that caring and leave it up to them. 'They're grown-up women! But at least a mum should care.' Wiegman is under contract until after the 2027 World Cup. On Thursday, FA chief Mark Bullingham said she was 'not for sale' and 'no price at all' would be tempting enough to allow her to be prised away. And while she admits some of the attention is 'awkward', Wiegman added: 'Of course I find it very special too. But I do believe that everyone plays his or her part in the success. 'What I'm trying to do is bring people together in the best possible way, players and staff and the people around me are really, really good. And if they perform at their highest level, then the chance of winning a game is the highest possible. And that's what I'm trying to do. 'I think I'm pretty good at bringing people together, but without the quality, you're not going to win a tournament.'
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The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Sarina Wiegman: I have fallen in love with England after ‘craziest' tournament yet
Shortly before Sarina Wiegman walks into one of the grand rooms at England 's five-star Dolder base overlooking Zurich, Ella Toone can't help but laugh. 'We've nearly killed her twice in this tournament,' Toone says. It sometimes feels like at least twice in single games, especially those against Sweden and Italy. 'You've definitely aged me,' Wiegman told the players after the semi-final. You wouldn't think it as she walks in for a more informal chat with media on the eve of the Euro 2025 final. Wiegman is all smiles and laughs, as you might well be when your team repeatedly get through emotional late rescue acts. Everyone conspicuously looks to the coach in such moments. That isn't always the case in football. Wiegman admits that she finds focus on her 'awkward', if of course 'very special'. Except, it's hard not to focus on her. This is the 55-year-old's third consecutive major final in the England job, and fifth as a manager, going back to Euro 2017. It sums Wiegman up that she says it's a record she doesn't even want to think about until she retires. For everyone else, it defines her. While there have been a number of factors in England's rise, not least FA investment, the money they have spent on Wiegman is well justified. She is almost certainly the single most important figure in the history of the women's team. Hence the FA being 'in awe' of Wiegman, according to many insiders, to the point chief executive Mark Bullingham says she's priceless. If England loves Wiegman, however, what does Wiegman think of England? As a manager, she can come across as an abrupt figure, especially when talking in that matter-of-fact manner. Some close to her just say it's part of being Dutch. Nevertheless, Wiegman's success comes as her own players talk about how she's changed; maybe even softened. She is relaxed enough to elaborate on her relationship with England outside the job, something she hasn't really done before. 'I have been here four years and it just feels like my home away from home. I always enjoy it when I'm at work, when I'm in England. It is just the people, the sporting culture. I really love the sporting culture and the fans of course. It is the connection I have with the people, we are very, very close. The people at the FA, with everyone.' Wiegman is eventually asked whether she's 'fallen in love' with England? 'Yes, I have,' she says. 'Otherwise, I would not be sitting here with such a smile on my face.' Wiegman has certainly harnessed some of England's distinctive sporting traits, most visibly in the resilience of this team. 'Proper England', as her players keep saying. 'I absolutely see that,' she says. 'People that really want to work hard and are very committed.' That quality has been honed for this England team through Wiegman's nurturing of a proper old-fashioned team spirit. It has meant that, no matter how the team plays - and, in this tournament, that hasn't been very well - they always have a chance. Hence her resistance to speak about herself, except in the most couched way. 'I think I'm pretty good at bringing people together. But, without the quality, you're not going to win a tournament. So you need very good players and the support staff. The environment we created, the performance, how we do recovery… but they're important things to be the best prepared. 'What I'm trying to do is bring people together in the best possible way. Players and staff and the people around are really, really good.' As is always the case with such figures, you can't truly separate the real personality from the sporting personality, much as they try to. 'I'm kind of a caring person,' Wiegman says. 'I care about them… but at the same time I'm the coach.' The England players say she now lets out more emotion when they score. 'That comes from these performances,' she laughs. 'It's so intense. Of course I look very calm, but when the whistle goes and we score a goal and we change the game, when you have one minute left, of course that is emotional. Now, yes, like every person, I develop too with experiences. 'What I really wanted to do over all these years was try to enjoy it a little bit more, instead of always being so…' Wiegman interrupts herself. 'You have to be focused in this job, but you need to celebrate the moments that are good. It's really nice.' Some of the squad go even further and describe her as 'a mum'. 'Yeah, you know, sometimes when people say about 'the girls', I think 'do they mean my daughters or my team?!'I care about them but at the same time I'm making these hard decisions at the moment. So sometimes you should leave that caring and leave it up to them. They're grown-up women! But at least a mum should care.' Being in the job for four years has naturally seen her become closer to players, though. 'Those informal moments are just nice, to have a conversation in so you get to know each other better on and off the pitch. I say this a lot, but I truly believe connections make a difference. That's why I like team sports so much. That's what I like about the tournaments because you have more time together, so you have more time to have these informal moments.' Wiegman even admits that she misses the players away from camps. 'When we go into international breaks it's 11 days… you don't have much time. And then I'm not a person who just goes out and has a conversation where there's no purpose.' Much of this comes from the amount of consideration she put into actually taking the job in 2021. 'I think from both sides, before 2021, we have been really diligent to figure out if we were a good match. And you never know until you go in.' They now know so well that she's signed a contract to take her at least to the 2027 World Cup. There was 'a click', as Wiegman puts it. No matter how long she goes in the job, though, she's unlikely to face a tournament as tumultuous as Euro 2025. From the retirements beforehand to the being on the brink throughout, she admits there's been nothing like it. 'Before the World Cup, we had challenges with players who were injured. But in this tournament, it has been the craziest one with how the games went. That has been different.' The words don't quite reflect the mock exasperation on her face. Wiegman does admit that she now recovers from matches better. 'I've worked on that, too, because I always say don't put too much emphasis on the result. Of course, we are here to win, but you can't control winning. You can control what you do and what you try to do to win the games. And I do better at that.' As another tournament proves, however, she's not bad at winning either.
The Guardian
5 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘I'm making hard decisions': Wiegman leaps Lionesses hurdles to stand on verge of glory
Sarina Wiegman sits down in the chair left for her in a ring of journalists looking remarkably relaxed, the intensity and energy seen during and in the immediate aftermath of the thrilling last-gasp quarter-final and semi-final wins over Sweden and Italy gone. This is her usual state, calm, and as England prepare for a third major tournament final, against Spain on Sunday, and Wiegman's fifth consecutive major final, it's what they need. Asked to look back on her own development during four whirlwind years in charge, she is reflective. 'As every person in this room develops, I develop too, with experiences,' she says. 'First my English has improved, so I understand a lot more, but also you learn more about the people you work with. You learn more again about yourself and how you respond to things and, while I'm always working on developing the team and developing or trying to help the development of people, I always try to keep developing myself. 'What I've really wanted to do over all these years is try to enjoy it all a little bit more. You have to be focused in this job, you have to be focused but you need to celebrate the moments that are good, it's really nice.' The midfielder Keira Walsh said the manager has been incredibly consistent during her time at the helm. 'She probably shows her excitement a little bit more after games than she used to do,' she said. 'When you see on the side she's dancing and singing and we didn't see that so much when she first came in. But, in terms of how she delivers tactics and how she manages, I think she is very, very similar. 'She's probably one of the best managers I've played for in terms of trying to make everyone feel loved. It's a really, really difficult job when you're in a tournament, and obviously people want to play, people aren't, but she really, really cares about the human side. Another thing that you notice when you play for her is how calm she is. It makes a massive difference in the 95th minute when you're losing 1-0, and you look to the side and she's very calm. That speaks volumes of her as a manager.' Wiegman smiles at the mention of her celebrations when Walsh's comments are relayed to her. 'That comes from these performances, of course. It's so intense. Of course I look very calm, but when the whistle goes and we score a goal and we change the game, when you have one minute left or 10 seconds left, of course that is emotional.' The manager has perhaps had more scrutiny in the buildup to this tournament than at any other point during her time with England. Performances have been questioned and the sudden retirements of Mary Earps and Fran Kirby plus the withdrawal of Millie Bright from selection, was cause for concern. 'In this environment you have challenges all the time,' says Wiegman. 'Before the World Cup, we had challenges with players who were injured. Of course, we prepare a lot and we know the players really well. We think of scenarios: 'Who is the first player to select? Who is the second?' You're prepared for challenges. The challenge ahead of the tournament is the same for an injured player or a player who is not available. You have to move on to what you want and who is ready to compete.' Wiegman's directness has at times rubbed players up the wrong way, particularly in the Netherlands, but she is pragmatic in her approach: if you add value to the team, you are in, if you don't or don't anymore, you are moved on. With time, wins and the authority that comes with them, players are more easily brought on board with her approach on and off the pitch. And, regardless of some former Dutch players having expressed frustrations in the past, there are many that will speak about the impact of that human approach. The former Netherlands and Ado den Haag player Rianne Schorel is one of them. Schorel has nothing but love for Wiegman, despite having lost contact with her former manager since she was forced from the game due to a head injury that took 10 years to recover from. Wiegman's attention to player welfare and her support for Schorel was hugely appreciated by the former player both at the time and still is today. The chief executive of the Football Association, Mark Bullingham, picked that characteristic out as a key reason as to why she is so special. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'Generally, her connection with everyone is so special,' he said. 'I would say that every single individual member of staff coming into this camp felt valued by her, knew exactly what their role was and how they could be part of an overall team. Really stressing that everyone's in it together is critical and I think she's really helped build a very, very strong culture, not just amongst players but the whole support team.' Often players refer to her as being like a mum. 'Yeah …', says an unsure Wiegman. 'Sometimes when people talk about 'the girls' I think: 'Do they mean my daughters or do they mean my team?' So, that's tricky, I'm kind of a caring person. I care about them but at the same time I'm the coach, I'm making hard decisions at the moment so sometimes you have to leave that caring and leave it up to them. They're grown-up women, but a mum should care.' Regardless of subjective opinions on England's run to the final, Wiegman's record speaks for itself and is an objective fact. 'She's just a very special coach and I think there are teams here that have got good players that haven't made it through to a final,' added Bullingham. 'We have got good players but so have some other countries. She's performed so well at the highest level, keeping that calm composure, keeping the connection with the players and managing the games really well.' Schorel, having gone to play college football in the US before returning to the Netherlands, remembers Wiegman talking to her about calming down, taking some intensity out of her game and not overworking. This is familiar to those that have covered England for some time because that is the same message she came into the job delivering. Leah Williamson most recently reflected on that time: 'The English are known for having a certain type of mentality – a fight about us. Historically we've maybe been quite a defensive team. I remember one of the first things she said was: 'Just slow down', she wanted us to focus on the football.' Though Wiegman and the Lionesses stand on the verge of more records and more history, the personal acclaim is something she is uncomfortable with. 'Yeah, I do find that awkward,' she says. 'Of course, I find it very special too, but I do believe that everyone plays his or her part in the success. What I'm trying to do is bring people together in the best possible way, players and staff, and the people around me are really, really good. If they perform at their highest level, then the chance of winning a game is the highest possible. That's what I'm trying to do. I think I'm pretty good at bringing people together, but without the quality, you're not going to win a tournament. 'So, you need very good players, the support staff, the environment we've created, how we can do recovery, how we can do the gym sessions with players, the pitch, which is perfect to train on. There's so many things that make us who we are now.'
