Villarreal Fans Decry Thomas Partey’s Proposed Signing As Club’s ‘darkest Day’

News that nan erstwhile Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is poised to subordinate Villarreal has roiled fans of nan Spanish club, pinch hundreds signing a petition urging nan nine to halt what has been described arsenic nan “darkest time successful nan club’s history”.

Partey appeared successful a London tribunal connected Tuesday, charged pinch 5 counts of rape relating to 2 women, and a complaint of intersexual battle against a 3rd woman. The alleged offences are said to person taken spot successful 2021 and 2022 erstwhile Partey was playing for Arsenal. Partey’s lawyer has said he denies each nan charges.

Partey was granted conditional bail connected Tuesday, and nan main magistrate told nan tribunal he understood that nan 32-year-old would soon beryllium moving to Spain. Villarreal person agreed to motion nan Ghana world connected a one-year statement pinch an action to widen by 12 months.

The news came arsenic a daze to Villarreal fans, said Rahul Lakhani, a shot journalist and La Liga master down nan La Liga London account. “It’s rocked nan community,” Lakhani said. “I’ve had group successful my societal media responding rather aggressively to me, saying he’s guiltless until he’s proven guilty. But nan overarching guidance is that Villarreal fans don’t want their names associated pinch him.”

Scores of fans person voiced their guidance to nan move connected societal media, utilizing a hashtag that translates arsenic No to Thomas Partey. Others person passed astir interaction specifications for nan club’s charismatic channels, urging group to complain.

As Arsenal cogwheel up to big Villarreal successful a friends connected Wednesday, Lakhani described Partey’s imaginable signing arsenic a “stain” connected Villarreal, a nine agelong profoundly intertwined pinch its location municipality of 50,000 people. “They’re seen arsenic personification who isn’t for illustration Real Madrid aliases Barcelona, aliases nan Big Six,” he said. “They’re nan antithesis of that – they’re a nine that has helped their organization a lot, they’re seen arsenic a family-run club.”

Partey’s presence would astir apt change this image, he said: “Their sanction is now going to beryllium associated pinch wanting to motion personification who has 5 [rape] charges complete his head, alternatively than being known arsenic a nine that plays bully shot aliases punches supra their weight.”

More than 800 group person signed a petition that describes nan move arsenic a “slap successful nan face” to nan club’s supporters and “all victims of intersexual maltreatment worldwide”.

The petition was launched by nan online contented hub Villarreal Report, which this week said nan signing would beryllium “an enactment of axenic betrayal of nan highest order” against nan club’s supporters and Villarreal’s values. “The darkest time successful nan club’s history is drafting person by nan second,” it said connected societal media.

Villarreal did not respond to a petition for comment.

Earlier this year, arsenic Partey’s statement pinch Arsenal neared its expiry date, nan northbound London nine confirmed they were successful talks complete a caller contract. After they grounded to work together a caller deal, it emerged that Partey, who has played for Atlético Madrid, Mallorca and Almería, was alternatively heading to Spain. He was charged days aft he near Arsenal, aft an investigation that began successful 2022.

Partey’s lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has antecedently said he “denies each nan charges against him” and that he welcomed “the opportunity to yet clear his name”.

Some Villarreal fans person embraced nan prospective signing, hinting astatine nan heavy divisions sown by Partey’s expected arrival. “For Villarreal it’s a apical signing, I deliberation it’s awesome for nan team,” said Borja Jiménez Ortega, who heads nan L’Os Groc supporters’ nine successful Madrid. “I person a batch of assurance successful nan club.”

The position was wide shared among nan 60 members of his fans group, he said. “There’s conscionable 2 aliases 3 who don’t want him.”

Others pointed to nan wider connection being sent by nan club. “I’m against this signing,” said César Márquez Trabado, nan president of nan supporters’ nine Peña Amarilla Villafranca de los Barros. “It’s existent that he would fresh successful very good astatine Villarreal because he’s a subordinate of tremendous quality, but I judge that location are ethical limits that should not beryllium crossed, moreover if nan subordinate has not been convicted of nan charges against him.”

It was a position shared by many, he said. “I would opportunity that 90% of fans are against this,” he said. “Because successful nan end, nan squad whitethorn amended successful nan short term. But successful nan agelong term, this will do a batch of harm to our image.”