Thomas Partey, the former Arsenal midfielder now playing for Villarreal, has been charged with two additional counts of rape, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed on Wednesday.
The fresh allegations bring the total number of rape charges against the 32-year-old Ghana international to seven, alongside a single count of sexual assault.
The new charges relate to a separate, non-recent allegation dating back to 2020 and involve an additional woman. According to the CPS, the complaint was first reported to the Metropolitan Police in August 2025 and has been subject to a new investigation by the force.
Partey, who left Arsenal at the expiry of his contract in June before joining the Spanish side on a free transfer, is already scheduled to stand trial in November.
He previously appeared at Southwark Crown Court in September, where he pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving three women, with the alleged offences said to have taken place between 2021 and 2022.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the development in a statement: “Mr Partey is already charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in connection to allegations by three women of incidents which took place between 2021 and 2022.
“These new charges relate to a separate report of non-recent offences in 2020 involving one additional woman and follow a new investigation by the Metropolitan Police. These allegations were first reported in August 2025. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 13 March for a first hearing”.
The footballer remains on conditional bail, which permits him to continue his career with Villarreal and represent Ghana at international level.
However, his bail terms require him to notify police of any international travel at least 24 hours in advance and prohibit him from contacting any of the complainants.
Partey is represented by Jenny Wiltshire of Hickman and Rose solicitors, the lawyer who successfully defended Benjamin Mendy against rape charges. Following the initial charges, her team issued a statement maintaining his denial of all allegations.
“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,” the statement read .
During his September plea hearing, Judge Christopher Hehir addressed the delayed trial date, acknowledging the extensive backlog facing the crown courts.
“Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026. I appreciate that is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate, the crown courts have a huge backlog of work, which means that trials do take a long time to come on. Because you have bail, effectively you are sitting behind a queue of people in prison who are waiting to be tried,” the judge told Partey.
Villarreal, who sit fourth in La Liga, have not issued a formal response to the latest charges. The club previously defended their decision to sign Partey on a two-year contract, citing the presumption of innocence.
Manager Marcelino García Toral had earlier expressed support for the player, stating he was “totally convinced that he is mentally prepared and technically prepared to play” ahead of a Champions League fixture last year.
The Metropolitan Police investigation continues, with the footballer now scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on March 13 to answer the two new counts.