Arsenal put out a little note on their website on June 4. It was the usual for that time of year, which meant thanking 20 players who were being released and a bit more on three whose situations were unresolved.
Now, one of those in the latter cohort was a big hitter – Thomas Partey. But as his contract was almost up, Arsenal were leaving themselves some wiggle room: ‘Discussions are ongoing, and once matters are finalised between all parties, we will communicate in due course.’
Except they didn’t, because Partey left when his deal ended on June 30 and nothing was announced. Other things were publicised that day, such as a new beer partnership with Asahi Super Dry, but Partey’s future? Only silence.
And that was mildly interesting – Mikel Arteta had been vocal in his wish to keep him. In fact, these were his exact words six weeks ago: ‘In regards to Thomas, consistency-wise, it’s been his best season. I think the way he’s played, performed, his availability has been exceptional and he’s a really important player for us.’
A couple of days earlier, he had played the full 90 against Newcastle. Next time out, at Southampton, he was exceptionally available again. So yes, really important. Important enough for 52 games across the 2024-25 campaign and important enough for 167 since he joined in 2020. Important to Arteta’s midfield and important at right back, too.
But not as important as Asahi Super Dry, it would seem. Not as important as Takehiro Tomiyasu, either – the announcement of his departure ran to 200 words on Arsenal’s website. They also gave 529 words to Mehmet Ali’s exit from a role coaching the under 21s.
Arsenal did not mention the departure of Thomas Partey from the club on their website
Manager Mikel Arteta and Arsenal wanted Partey to stay and offered him a new contract
Partey? Well, it would appear they didn’t get around to mentioning on their website that he had actually gone.
And of course they didn’t.
Because we have all known the awkwardness in Partey’s background for quite some time, but the rules are clear on what we can report about investigations into rape. And those rules mean we cannot name names until an investigation becomes a charge. On Friday, that charge arrived: five counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, three separate women, with allegations tracing to 2021 and 2022.
We will state at this point that Partey denies the charges and his lawyer says he ‘welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name’.
But we will also ask a few questions, because the ‘finally’ is relevant. And the reason for that is these allegations have been football’s open secret. Fans knew, media knew and Arsenal knew. The unnamed footballer arrested in July 2022? Word got around pretty quickly that it was Thomas Partey.
So why did Arteta continue to pick him?
This will likely be the stage where some speak of Partey being innocent until proven guilty. Fair enough – it isn’t for any of us to decide. That is for the courts. But it is not unrealistic to assume this scenario would have played differently in other lines of work. With such serious offences being investigated, a suspension would most likely be imposed. Maybe on full pay, which in Partey’s case was £200,000 a week, or maybe not, but you’d probably be out of the building.
Not Partey, though. He was arrested on July 4, 2022, released on bail, and played 12 days later in a friendly against Everton in the US. Across that season, Arteta used him in 40 games, important enough for 2,694 minutes on the pitch and good for the opening goal in a North London derby against Tottenham.
Partey was arrested in July 2022, released on bail, and played in a friendly against Everton ten days later
Partey played 40 matches for Arsenal that season and scored in their win over Tottenham, underlining his importance to Arteta’s team
Perhaps Arsenal thought it would go away, but it didn’t. On November 7, 2024, after his bail had been extended a number of times and eventually lifted, he was interviewed again by the Metropolitan Police under caution. Three days later he was given a start against Chelsea and before the month was out Arsenal had jumped from fourth to second. His goal against Nottingham Forest was a screamer.
His two performances against Real Madrid come April of this year were excellent, and by then it had been reported in January that the police had submitted a full file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service. But Arteta still wanted him. He told us as much in the May. The consistency, the availability, his best season – a ‘really important’ player.
The morality of those decisions? I’d guess it comes down to what you’re willing to sleep with.
Again, Partey is innocent until proven otherwise. But Arteta and Arsenal were evidently happy enough to side with their man and, more than that, they wanted him to stay.
It’s the last part that has aged in the most dispiriting of ways. It’s a bad look. Bad for Arsenal and bad for a sport that has been in these situations before and forever seems to convey the impression that only results are important. As in really important.
Football has some exceptional consistency in this area – if you have the stomach for it, you might read up on the allegations of human trafficking, torture and rape logged this week in a US civil case against Jonathan Barnett, the super-agent who brokered Gareth Bale’s move to Real Madrid from Spurs. He denies the accusations.
When the Partey charges became known on Friday, it stirred the memory of a BBC investigation from a couple of seasons ago that found seven of the Premier League clubs since 2020 had players or staff under investigation for sexual offences. It also reminded me that a protest group, Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence, had been taking a regular position outside the Emirates Stadium for the season just gone.
I spoke on Friday night with one of their co-founders, Honor Barber, and she told me: ‘I am outraged as an Arsenal fan about how this has gone on. I cannot believe they floated the idea of a contract extension.
In May, Arteta spoke of wanting Partey to stay, referencing his consistency, the availability, his best season and labelled him as a ‘really important’ player
Wanting Partey to stay is a bad look for Arsenal and a sport that has been in these situations before
‘Our supporters sent thousands of letters to leadership of the club and never had a dialogue. This isn’t about one player and one club.
‘Footballers can be suspended for turning up late but he has carried on playing despite an investigation of this nature.’
The group’s request was spelled out in an open letter to Arsenal in November last year. They want to see players suspended if they are under investigation for criminal offences, especially those involving sexual violence, and for clubs to be barred from renewing or extending contracts. As it stands, the Football Association have no policy for this.
It feels like a really important issue. An exceptional one, even.
As we contemplate how Partey left quietly through the back door, against the desire of those who wanted him to stay, it strikes me that this is all horribly inadequate.
Raducanu shows she can cope at the top level
Under the lights of Centre Court, Emma Raducanu could not quite solve the riddle of how to beat the best female tennis player in the world, Aryna Sabalenka.
Where she succeeded was in making a mockery of those of us who have queried if she has the heart for the top level.
Although Emma Raducanu lost to Aryna Sabalenka she showed she can compete at the top
Nobody is fooled by Fury’s words
Tyson Fury has confirmed his latest ‘retirement’ is over and he will return to boxing. And of course he has.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fool me five times and take away access to heavy machinery for anyone daft enough to still believe anything he says.
Tyson Fury has confirmed his latest ‘retirement’ is over and that he will return to boxing
