Hundreds of Villarreal supporters have voiced their opposition to the imminent signing of Thomas Partey by signing a petition to stop the transfer.
The former Arsenal midfielder is closing in on a move to the Spanish outfit after being granted bail while facing charges of raping two women, with the LaLiga side set to face off against his former club on Wednesday night.
The 32-year-old, who was charged four days after the expiration of his contract at the north London club in June, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to face five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
He is accused of two counts of rape against one woman and three counts against another. The sexual assault allegation relates to a third woman, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said.
The court heard that Partey allegedly raped one of the women three times at his home in Hertfordshire. He is also accused of attacking one of the women at a resort in Spain. The midfielder was granted conditional bail and will appear at Crown Court on September 2.
Partey’s first appearance in court came after news broke that he was on the verge of joining the Yellow Submarine, his conditional bail now clearing the path for the midfielder to complete his move.
Villarreal supporters have voiced their opposition to the imminent signing of Thomas Partey
Fans have started up a petition online which now has more than 800 signatures on it
However, some fans are making a last-ditch attempt to stop the move going through.
A petition, titled Say NO to Thomas Partey at Villarreal, has been started online and has over 800 signatures at the time of writing.
The description reads: ‘recently, reports have surfaced that Villarreal CF are close to signing the footballer Thomas Partey, a player who is currently facing criminal charges on five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
‘A player accused and charged of such heinous crimes must not have any relation to a club like Villarreal, which prides itself on values such as family spirit and community.
‘Villarreal’s signing of Thomas Partey would be a slap in the face not only to the club’s supporters, who would see their names connected to and forced to support an alleged abuser through no fault of their own, but also to all victims of sexual abuse worldwide, who would see yet another case of these serious allegations being brushed aside due to greed and status.
‘We must act now and make our voices be heard before the signing, pending a court hearing on Tuesday, is made official.’
The petition is starting to gain more traction on social media with accounts sharing it on platforms such as X and Facebook.
Partey’s bail conditions state he cannot contact any of the three women and must notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel.
The 32-year-old was charged four days after the expiration of his contract at Arsenal
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward, KC, said: ‘He’s charged with six sexual offences, five of rape, one of sexual assault. He was first arrested in relation to two of the charges on 4 July 2022 and released under investigation on 2 August 2023.
‘He has attended, during the course of the past three years, three voluntary interviews. A postal requisition was sent on 4 July 2025 requiring his attendance today for a first appearance.
‘Five of the offences, the charges of rape, are indictable only offences and the only possibility for this court is to send them to the crown court.’
On the sexual assault allegation, she said: ‘The complainant attended Mr Partey’s address and he sexually assaulted her by lying on top of her, trying to kiss her and touching her all over her body over clothing without consent.
‘She tried to push him off and after a couple of minutes he stopped.’
Protesters held up a sign criticising Arsenal’s alleged handling of the case when he arrived at court. It read: ‘Arsenal said: ‘We do the right thing’. Then did nothing.’
The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022. The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022.
The CPS said the charges came after it ‘carefully reviewed a comprehensive file of evidence’ during an extensive three-year probe.
‘Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him,’ his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said. He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation. He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name. Given that there are now ongoing legal proceedings, my client is unable to comment further.’
Partey joined Arsenal in 2020 from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth around £45million. He made 35 appearances in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals.
Arsenal were previously in talks over extending Partey’s contract, but an agreement could not be reached, resulting in him leaving as a free agent. Head coach Mikel Arteta had described him as a ‘really important player for us’.
During Arsenal’s pre-season tour in the Far East, following Partey being charged, Arteta said he was ‘100 per cent’ comfortable with how the club handled the case.
However, the Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence Group gathered outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court to protest the club’s alleged actions.
‘While we recognise that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty, we would find any scenario in which a club was to continually select and promote a player under investigation for sexual offences deeply concerning,’ the group previously said. This would give the suggestion that success on the pitch far outweighs respect for victims of sexual violence.’
An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: ‘The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.’
