Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has signed a two-year deal with Villarreal, and Peter Llac from fan group Villarreal Report has told GIVEMESPORT, on the Market Madness podcast, that he's disappointed that the Ghanaian international has been signed.
Partey Signs Two-Year Villarreal Deal
He was a free-agent after leaving Arsenal
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Thomas Partey has signed a two-year deal with Villarreal, according to GIVEMESPORT sources, after leaving Arsenal following the expiration of his contract. It follows an appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 4th, where he faced charges of raping two women. He is accused of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault following alleged offences between 2021 and 2022.
Partey was granted bail, and there is nothing legally stopping him from continuing his football career, even with the case ongoing. Partey has denied these charges.
Peter Llac Disappointed Partey Has Been Signed
He wants fans to write to the club in protest
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Speaking to GIVEMESPORT on the Market Madness podcast, Llac has suggested that there has been a 'split among the fan base' in terms of Partey joining the club, but it's generally been 'outrage and disappointment'...
"There's been, of course, a split among the fan base, but from what I've seen, it's generally been outrage and disappointment that a club that has built its values and its ethics for decades. So it would kind of break all of that in one swing, in signing Thomas Partey, because it goes against everything that we stood for as a club."
Llac, from the Villarreal Report, has confirmed that he's 'not had any response' from the club in his attempts to contact them, but he's trying to make it more of a 'public action' to voice his 'disappointment'...
"I have not had any response from the club in my attempts, not that there have been many on my part. I've been trying to make it more of a public thing, in a public action of sorts, to voice our disappointment, not only as Villarreal fans, but as a global football community. So in that part, from the club, we've heard no official word at all, which I guess you can say is normal when conducting a signing. But I do feel that for something like this, the fans should be taken into account."
Llac has also confirmed that fans from around the world are 'contributing to the cause', not just Villarreal fans, after he did a call to action on social media, asking supporters to 'email the club' to state their view on the potential signing...
"I've also seen that people who aren't Villarreal fans are also contributing to the cause and mailing the club saying that they do not want to see someone like Thomas Partey, with pending assault charges, be represented on a global stage, like first division football club playing in one of the biggest leagues in the world and also in the Champions League, which they are right to do, in my opinion."
Llac has suggested that there is 'definitely' a possibility that a protest could be held, whether this means boycotting games or 'talking about the club less'...
"From what I've read online, there is definitely a possibility [for a protest], because I've seen many people who are fans for years, decades. People from Villarreal itself have felt a rupture in their connection to the club, and whether this results in talking about the club less or going to games less, it's definitely there. Those are definitely possibilities, and for some sort of collective action, like a protest or something like that."
Llac later says that 'the most disappointing part' is that Villarreal know the 'trouble they are bringing themselves', due to Partey having 'several hearings' over the next month in terms of his case...
"Definitely, that's the most disappointing part that we know the trouble we're bringing on to ourselves. He's going to have several hearings over the next few months, while playing for our club, while representing our club, our people and our badge, which does not fit at all with the values of our club."