Mikel Arteta (L) used to manage Partey (R) at Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has stated that the club did not err in allowing Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey to play, despite being informed about possible rape charges.
According to him, the club could not have suspended the midfielder, despite complaints from a section of supporters and other personalities.
However, he declined to comment on the formal charges Partey is facing, describing the matter as a sensitive one currently being handled in court.
Speaking ahead of his side’s pre-season tour of Asia, Arteta insisted he was unable to comment on the “very complicated” legal matter but maintained that the club acted appropriately.
As reported by ESPN, when asked whether he believed the club followed the correct procedures, Arteta replied: “One hundred per cent.”
The footballer was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on July 5, 2025.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the offences are alleged to have taken place between 2021 and 2022.
The charges involve three women: two counts of rape relate to one woman, three counts of rape involve a second woman, and one count of sexual assault pertains to a third woman.
The midfielder is scheduled to go on trial in August 2025.
SB/VPO
Watch as Ghanaians speak out on Thomas Partey’s rape charge, suggest fresh start in Saudi Arabia
