Thomas Partey intends to deny two new allegations of rape, a court has heard.
The former Arsenal player, 32, was absent from the dock for a first hearing after being charged last month with two counts of raping a woman on a date in December 2020.
Partey, now playing for Villarreal in Spain, had been excused from the hearing, but his lawyer, Emma Fenn, indicated that he intends to plead not guilty to both charges.
Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram dealt with preliminary stages of the case at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Partey was charged last year with five counts of rape against two women and sexual assault against a third alleged victim, following a Metropolitan Police investigation.
The midfield player has already entered not guilty pleas to all of those charges, which date back to 2021 and 2022, and is due to face trial at Southwark Crown Court in November.
The court heard on Friday the two new allegations of rape came to light after the first set of charges had been revealed.
Arabella MacDonald, prosecuting, told the court: “Mr Partey faces two further charges of rape dating back to December 2020. The complainant came forward after news of Mr Partey’s other matters were widely publicised.”
Judge Ikram sent the two new charges of rape – involving a fourth alleged victim – to the crown court for a hearing on April 10.
In the new charges, Partey is accused of twice raping a woman in London on a day in December 2020.
The footballer, who previously lived in Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, joined Arsenal from Atlético Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45m, before he left the club in June last year.
He has made more than 50 appearances for Ghana, including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Partey was released on bail on Friday, with a condition that he does not contact the alleged victim. He is expected to attend the next court hearing in April.
