Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two new rape charges.
The 32-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday and denied raping a woman twice in London on a day in December 2020.
The midfielder, who left Arsenal for Villarreal last summer, was charged in July last year with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault from 2021 and 2022.
He previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and his trial is scheduled for November this year.
Two new rape charges were announced in February this year and on Monday the Recorder of Westminster, Judge Tony Baumgartner, agreed to try all charges together.
But he warned the parties and lawyers in the case that the trial could now be delayed until January next year.
The footballer has now pleaded not guilty to a total of seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in relation to allegations made by four women.
Party, wearing dark gray trousers, a black jumper over a white shirt and smart black shoes, spoke at Monday’s hearing to confirm his name and enter two not guilty pleas.
He left the dock with a dark gray suit jacket draped over his left shoulder.
Partey did not appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court when the charges first came before a judge last month.
But his lawyer said a not guilty plea would be entered.
The Ghanaian midfielder, who previously lived at Potter’s Bar in Hertfordshire, joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a fee worth around £45m before leaving the club in June last year.
He is expected to be a key member of the Ghana national team against England at this summer’s World Cup.
Partey is being held on bail with the condition that he not contact the victim while legal proceedings proceed.
The court heard Justice Bennathan is expected to be the trial judge.
Party’s case is scheduled to be returned to court for a pre-trial hearing on the 14th of next month.
A decision will be made on the exact trial date when the judge is confirmed.
