Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is expected to deny two new allegations of rape, a court has heard. The Ghanaian international did not appear in person during the first hearing related to the new charges.

The 32-year-old footballer was charged last month with two counts of rape involving a woman he allegedly met on a date in December 2020. The case was mentioned at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, where preliminary matters were addressed.

During the session, Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram presided over the hearing. Partey was not present in court, having been formally excused from attending the proceedings.

His legal representative, Emma Fenn, appeared on his behalf and informed the court that the footballer intends to plead not guilty to the two new charges.

The allegations are part of a broader investigation that has already led to multiple charges against the former Premier League player. Last year, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police, Partey was charged with five counts of rape involving two women, as well as one count of sexual assault relating to a third alleged victim.

He has previously entered not-guilty pleas to all of those earlier charges. The alleged incidents connected to those accusations are said to have taken place between 2021 and 2022.

According to prosecutors, the two new charges surfaced after the initial allegations against the player became widely publicised in the media. During Friday’s hearing, prosecutor Arabella MacDonald explained that the latest complaint came from another woman who approached authorities after learning about the earlier case.

“Mr Partey faces two further charges of rape dating back to December 2020,” MacDonald told the court. “The complainant came forward after news of Mr Partey’s other matters were widely publicised.”

The new charges relate to an alleged incident in London involving a fourth alleged victim. Prosecutors claim that the midfielder raped the woman twice on the same day in December 2020.

Because of the seriousness of the allegations, the magistrates’ court transferred the case to the Crown Court for further proceedings. Judge Ikram ordered that the new charges be sent to Southwark Crown Court, where a hearing is scheduled to take place on April 10.

Meanwhile, the footballer has been granted bail while awaiting further court appearances. One of the bail conditions states that he must not contact the alleged victim involved in the latest charges.

Partey’s professional career has taken him across several major European clubs. He joined Arsenal in 2020 from Atlético Madrid in a transfer reportedly worth around £45 million. The midfielder spent several seasons with the North London club before leaving in June last year.

He currently plays for Villarreal CF in Spain’s top division.

On the international stage, Partey has been a key figure for the Ghana national football team. He has earned more than 50 caps for his country and has represented Ghana in major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.

The legal process is still ongoing, and Partey is expected to attend the next hearing in April, where the Crown Court will determine the next steps in the case. Under UK law, defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.