Thomas Partey has returned to Spain after Villarreal reached an agreement with the Ghanaian midfielder, who is now a free agent following his departure from Arsenal, Softfootball can report.
The 31-year-old leaves Arsenal after four seasons at the club, having signed from Atlético Madrid in 2020. His time in North London was marred by recurring injuries, particularly in the latter stages of his Arsenal career. Partey made just a few appearances in all competitions for the Gunners during the 2024/25 season.
Thomas Partey (Photo Credit: Getty)
Softfootball have gathered that Villarreal, who are rebuilding under new management, have now moved to secure his services in what is expected to be a deal subject to fitness and legal conditions. The Yellow Submarine see Partey as a key addition to their midfield following the departures of Étienne Capoue and Manu Trigueros.
The announcement came days after Softfootball revealed that Partey had completed his medical at the club, which then abolished the plans to go to Saudi Arabia.
According to Fabrizio Romano, he shared on his X handle Partey’s movement to the Submarines despite rumours of going to Saudi Arabia.
Fabrizio said:
“Official: Thomas Partey has been granted bail, after appearing in court on rape charges.
“Former Arsenal midfielder will now join Villarreal as expected.
However, the move comes amid serious legal proceedings involving the Ghana international, who was accused of sexual misconduct.
Meanwhile, Partey has been granted conditional bail after being charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in the United Kingdom. The alleged offences are said to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, with a trial date set for 2025.
His lawyer, Jacob Wiltshire, issued a statement saying that Partey “denies all the charges against him” and welcomes “the opportunity to finally clear his name”.
There has been no official comment yet from Villarreal on the legal matter, though reports in Spain suggest the club is aware of the ongoing case and will monitor developments closely. Any final registration could be dependent on the progress of the legal process, as La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation may also assess the situation before issuing international clearance.
Partey is currently not part of Ghana’s national team plans and was left out of recent squads by head coach Otto Addo, citing fitness and “non-football-related matters”.
The midfielder had attracted interest from Saudi Pro League sides and Serie A clubs earlier in the summer, but Villarreal are understood to have offered a competitive package with potential performance-based clauses, pending medical and legal clearance.
He is expected to train separately while the final paperwork is completed.
