News that the former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is poised to join Villarreal has upset fans of the Spanish club, with hundreds signing a petition urging a halt to what has been described as the “darkest day in the club’s history”, theguardian.com reports.
Partey appeared in a London court on Tuesday, charged with five counts of rape relating to two women and a charge of sexual assault against a third woman. The alleged offences are said to have taken place in 2021 and 2022 when Partey was playing for Arsenal.
Partey was granted conditional bail on Tuesday and the chief magistrate said he understood that the 32‑year‑old would soon be moving to Spain. Villarreal have agreed to sign the Ghana international on a one-year contract with an option to extend by 12 months.
Villarreal Fans Don’t Want Their Names Associated With Partey – La Liga Expert
Rahul Lakhani, a football journalist and La Liga expert behind the La Liga London account, said: “It’s rocked the community. I’ve had people in my social media responding quite aggressively to me, saying he’s innocent until he’s proven guilty. But the overarching reaction is that Villarreal fans don’t want their names associated with him.”
Also Read: Partey Granted Bail On Rape Charges
On social media scores of fans have voiced their opposition to the move, using a hashtag that translates to “No to Thomas Partey”. Others have passed around contact details for the club’s official channels, urging people to complain.
As Arsenal gear up to host Villarreal in a friendly on Wednesday, Lakhani described Partey’s potential signing as a stain on Villarreal, a club deeply intertwined with its home town of 52,000.
“They’re seen as someone who isn’t like Real Madrid or Barcelona or the [Premier League’s] Big Six,” he said. “They’re the antithesis of that. They’re a club that has helped their community a lot, they’re seen as a family-run club.”
Partey’s arrival would probably alter this image, Lakhani said. “Their name is now going to be associated with wanting to sign someone who has five [rape] charges over his head, rather than being known as a club that plays good football or punches above their weight.”
More than 800 people have signed a petition that describes the move as a “slap in the face” to the club’s supporters and “all victims of sexual abuse worldwide”.P
Partey’s Signing Labeled “An Act Of Pure Betrayal Of Highest Order”
The petition was launched by the online content hub Villarreal Report, which said this week that the signing would be “an act of pure betrayal of the highest order” against the club’s supporters and Villarreal’s values. “The darkest day in the club’s history is drawing closer by the second,” it said on social media.
As Partey’s contract with Arsenal neared its expiry date, the club confirmed they were in talks over a new contract.
After they failed to agree a new deal, it emerged that Partey, who has played for Atlético Madrid, Mallorca and Almería, was heading to Spain. He was charged not long after he left Arsenal, after an investigation that began in 2022.
