Former Arsenal midfielder Partey charged with rape
· UPIJuly 4 (UPI) -- Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault from 2021 to 2022, the Greater London Metropolitan Police announced on Friday.
Partey, 32, is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrate's Court on Aug. 5 and denies the accusations against him, ESPN reported.
Partey "welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name," defense attorney Jenny Wiltshire told the British Press Association.
Partey joined Arsenal after agreeing to a $61.42 million contract in 2020, but the football club ended the contract on Monday due to his legal issues.
Club officials declined to comment on the matter and only confirmed he no longer is with the club.
Partey is accused of raping two women and sexually assaulting another, the BBC reported.
Prosecutors charged him with two counts of rape involving one woman and three counts of rape involving a second woman.
Prosecutors also charged him with one count of sexual assault related to a third woman.
Law enforcement began investigating Partey after receiving a rape report in February 2022.
Partey is from Ghana and scored four goals in 35 appearances during Premier League competition last season.
He also appeared 12 times during Arsenal's tournament run in the Champions League before being ousted by Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.