Former Arsenal midfielder has denied rape charges
Partey has agreed contract and taken medical
The former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is poised to join Villarreal on a free transfer this week.
Partey is due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday after being charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault last month, a few days after he left Arsenal having failed to agree a new deal. He has denied all the charges.
Partey is understood to have completed his medical at Villarreal having settled on personal terms for a move back to Spain, where he has played for Atlético Madrid, Mallorca and Almería. He is believed to have agreed a one-year contract with an option to extend by 12 months, and the opportunity to play in the Champions League next season is thought to have been a motivating factor in the 32-year-old’s decision. Partey also had offers from Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
