Mikel Arteta says he is “100%” convinced Arsenal acted appropriately in its handling of Thomas Partey after the former midfielder was charged this month with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. Addressing reporters on Monday, 21 July 2025, during the club’s pre‑season stop in Singapore, Arteta was asked directly whether supporters should feel confident that Arsenal followed the right processes. He replied: “100%, yes.”
Partey, whose contract with Arsenal expired on 30 June, was charged on 4 July and is scheduled to appear at Westminster magistrates court on 5 August. He continued to play for the club while police inquiries were under way, a sequence that has drawn scrutiny from some fans and observers who question how football institutions manage serious allegations involving current players.
Pressed for further detail, Arteta cited the complexity of the ongoing legal proceedings and said he could not comment substantively. Club officials, he suggested, will cooperate with authorities as required throughout the process. He noted that the club had already outlined the basic facts in a prior statement confirming Partey’s contract status and the legal constraints that limit public discussion. Although he stopped short of explaining the internal review in depth, his insistence that Arsenal acted properly suggested confidence in the club’s decision‑making framework.
The charges stem from complaints by three women relating to incidents alleged to have taken place between 2021 and 2022. Partey has denied all allegations. According to his lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, he welcomes the opportunity to clear his name in court.
From a football perspective, Partey remained an important figure through his final season in north London, making 52 appearances in all competitions. Signed from Atlético Madrid in 2020, he provided physical presence, ball progression and positional flexibility in midfield, occasionally filling auxiliary roles as team needs shifted. His departure, set against the backdrop of the pending case, leaves Arsenal balancing on‑field planning with reputational, ethical and duty‑of‑care questions that resonate across the sport, where clubs must weigh presumption of innocence against safeguarding responsibilities to staff, supporters and the wider community.
Arsenal’s tour continues as preparations build toward the new campaign, but developments in the legal process will remain a parallel storyline. The next formal step is the 5 August court date, after which procedural hearings and disclosure phases are expected to map the path ahead and shape discussion about the player’s future in the game.
