Arteta Defends Arsenal’s Decision Not To Renew Partey’s Contract Amid Rape Allegations
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Monday defended the club’s handling of Thomas Partey’s departure following his arrest over rape and sexual assault allegations.
Partey, 32, was not offered a new contract after his deal expired on June 30. Just days later, British police charged him with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to incidents between 2021 and 2022.
He is expected to appear before a magistrates’ court in London on August 5.
Responding to questions during Arsenal’s pre-season tour in Singapore, Arteta said, “The club was very clear in its statement. There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that.”
He added, “I’m 100 percent convinced the club acted correctly.”
Arsenal had earlier released a statement on July 4, the day of Partey’s arrest, confirming his contract had ended and stating that they would not comment further due to ongoing legal proceedings.
Partey joined Arsenal in 2020 from Atletico Madrid for £45 million. Last season, he made 35 Premier League appearances, scoring four goals, and featured 12 times in the Champions League.
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