The Culture Secretary has urged football to establish “minimum standards” for “protecting women” in the wake of Thomas Partey facing rape charges.

Thomas Partey, the former Arsenal midfielder, has been charged with multiple counts of rape following a police investigation spanning three years. Partey is accused of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against three victims between 2021 and 2022. A first court appearance will come next month.

This article highlights the four main factors that led to Arsenal’s decision not to hand Thomas Partey a new contractThe Ghanaian midfielder joined the Gunners from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 in a high-profile Premier League transferArsenal boss Mikel Arteta had previously stated publicly he wanted the Black Stars midfield maestro to stayThomas Partey’s departure from Arsenal at the end of June 2025 marked the end of a notable five-year stint for the Ghanaian midfielder.