Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to raping two women.
The 32-year-old is accused of five counts of rape against the two alleged victims, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman.
The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022 when he played for Arsenal.
Partey spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and his not guilty pleas during a short hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.
The Ghanaian midfielder, who now plays for Spanish club Villarreal, faces trial under a High Court judge at the same court on November 2 next year.
Partey’s latest court appearance comes the day after he came on as a substitute in his new club’s Champions League fixture against Tottenham in London.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Christopher Hehir told Partey: “Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026.
“I appreciate that is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate the crown courts have a huge backlog of work which means that trials do take a long time to come on.
“Because you have bail effectively you are sitting behind a queue of people in prison who are waiting to be tried.”
The judge granted Partey bail on the same conditions as he was given at a previous hearing – that he cannot contact any of the three women and must notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel.
Partey, who previously gave his address as Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45 million.
The Ghanaian international played 35 games for the north London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals.
He has made more than 50 appearances for Ghana, including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
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.”
