Villarreal have had a very busy summer so far, and that is set to continue with another signing coming in the door at La Ceramica.

During the transfer window, Villarreal have been keen to bring in a new defensive midfielder to compete with Dani Parejo, Pape Gueye and Santi Comesana, and the man that they have now selected is former Atletico Madrid and Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey.

Villarreal and Partey agreed terms over the weekend, and the Ghana international was set to sign. However, there was a chance that the agreement fell through, depending on the outcome of the 32-year-old’s court hearing.

Last month, Partey was charged with five counts of rape, following allegations that had been made as early as three years ago. During Tuesday’s court hearing, he was granted conditional bail, which left it open for Villarreal to press ahead with their plans to sign him.

As per Diario AS, Villarreal have now unilaterally decided to sign Partey, following the outcome of the court hearing in London. The idea is for his arrival to be made official this week, with the player expected to travel from England in the next 24/48 hours.

Villarreal fan reaction to Partey signing

The news that Villarreal will press ahead with their plans to sign Partey has not gone down with large sections of their fanbase. On social media, there has been a campaign ongoing, with calls for the club to cancel the prospective deal with the Ghanian midfielder.

The verdict of the case does not matter. The board has gone out of their way to enlist a man who would be representing our club while carrying a pending assault charge. An act of pure betrayal of the highest order to the supporters and the club's values.#NoAThomasPartey

— Villarreal Report (@Villarreal_Rep) August 5, 2025

There is no doubt that Partey’s expected signing for Villarreal is a very controversial one. La Liga has already had a similar situation in recent years when former Manchester United winger Mason Greenwood, who had also been accused of rape before his own case came to an end when a key witness withdrew, signed on a season-long loan for Getafe.