Thomas Partey Joins Al-Shabab as Free Agent Amid Ongoing Criminal Proceedings
Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab have signed Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey on a one-year deal, the club confirmed on Friday Reuters. The 33-year-old joins as a free agent after Villarreal declined to extend his contract last summer BBC Sport. Partey made 167 appearances for Arsenal between 2020 and 2025 before moving to Spain. His stint at Villarreal was cut short when the club decided against keeping him beyond the end of his deal.
Al-Shabab announced the signing on social media, per ESPN. The Riyadh-based club finished 13th in the Saudi Pro League last season and have already lost their opening match of the current campaign. Their squad also includes familiar names from English football: former Burnley captain Josh Brownhill and ex-Wolves winger Daniel Podence BBC Sport.
The signing carries weight beyond football. Partey is scheduled to stand trial next year after pleading not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 BBC Sport. The case is ongoing, and a trial date has been set for 2027.
During the 2025 World Cup, Partey was denied entry to Canada before Ghana's opening match against Panama because of the ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK BBC Sport. He had wrongly told officials he had never been arrested or charged with a crime. Partey went on to play in Ghana's other three matches at the tournament, where the Black Stars were eliminated in the last-32 stage by Colombia.
A free agent, a one-year contract, a club that finished 13th last season — this is not the headline-grabbing Saudi deal that the league built its reputation on. But Partey remains a full international with a decade of top-level experience across three of Europe's major leagues. For Al-Shabab, the appeal is clear: a proven midfielder on a short commitment, available for nothing in transfer fees. For Partey, it is another club, another league, and the continuation of a career unfolding against a serious legal backdrop that will not go away.
