Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two new counts of rape. The 32-year-old Ghanaian international appeared at Southwark Crown Court to deny the allegations, which relate to an incident in London in December 2020.

These new charges come in addition to existing serious allegations. Partey was previously charged in July 2023 with five other counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, stemming from separate incidents alleged to have occurred in 2021 and 2022, to which he has also pleaded not guilty.

The footballer, who left Arsenal for Spanish club Villarreal in the summer of 2023, now faces a complex legal process. Due to the addition of these new allegations, his trial—originally scheduled for November 2024—could potentially be delayed until as late as January 2027.

This developing legal situation continues to cast a shadow over the career of a player once known for his commanding presence in the Premier League midfield.