A former Arsenal footballer, Thomas Partey, has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The offences, according to reports, take place between 2021-2022, the Metropolitan Police said.
The charges are said to involve three women with two counts of rape relating to one woman;
Three counts of rape in connection to a second woman and;
One count of sexual assault linked to a third woman.
Metropolitan Police said he was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5.
“The charges follow an investigation by detectives, which commenced in February 2022 after police first received a report of rape,” the force said.
Partey has just left Arsenal after his contract expired and was said to be attracting interest from clubs, including Juventus, Barcelona and Fenerbahce.
The Ghanian player was at the Emirates for five years after signing from Atletico Madrid and has also played dozens of times for his country.
His time with Arsenal was marked by recurring injuries but he played 130 times for the club in the Premier League, including 35 times last season when he scored four goals.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: “Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward.”
Anyone who has information about the case, or has been impacted by it, is being asked to contact the Met Police.
