News that former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is set to join Villarreal has sparked outrage among the Spanish club's supporters, with hundreds signing a petition calling the move the 'darkest day in the club's history'. Partey appeared in a London court on Tuesday charged with five counts of rape relating to two women and one count of sexual assault against a third woman, alleged to have taken place in 2021 and 2022.
The 32-year-old Ghana international was granted conditional bail, and the chief magistrate noted he would soon be moving to Spain. Villarreal have agreed to sign Partey on a one-year contract with an option for a further 12 months. Fans have used the hashtag 'No to Thomas Partey' on social media and circulated contact details for the club to encourage complaints.
Rahul Lakhani, a football journalist, said the reaction has 'rocked the community', with many fans viewing the potential signing as a stain on a club seen as a family-run community institution. 'Their name is now going to be associated with wanting to sign someone who has five charges over his head, rather than being known as a club that plays good football,' he said.
A petition launched by Villarreal Report, with over 800 signatures, describes the move as 'a slap in the face' to supporters and 'all victims of sexual abuse worldwide'. However, not all fans oppose the signing; Borja Jiménez Ortega, head of the L'Os Groc supporters club, called it 'a top signing' and expressed confidence in the club. César Márquez Trabado, president of another supporters club, estimated that 90% of fans are against it, warning it will 'do a lot of damage to our image'.
Partey's lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has stated he denies all charges and welcomes the chance to clear his name. Partey, who has also played for Atlético Madrid, Mallorca and Almería, left Arsenal after failing to agree a new contract, and was charged shortly afterwards following an investigation that began in 2022.
