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Thomas Partey has expressed excitement about a “really happy” reunion with his former Arsenal teammates when Ghana take on England at the World Cup on Tuesday.

The Ghanaian midfielder, who once played for the Gunners, is back in contention for selection after missing his team’s 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto last Wednesday.

Partey was previously denied entry into Canada after being charged in London with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, allegedly committed between 2020 and 2022.

The player has firmly denied all the allegations and is preparing to defend himself in court at a trial scheduled for next summer.

Ghana will resume their Group L campaign in Boston on Tuesday, facing an England squad that features Partey’s former Arsenal colleagues Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

Partey, who is cleared to play against England, told reporters in an interview broadcast by TV3 Ghana: “I’m really happy to see them again. I hope they’re going to bring their best and give us the chance to play against top players so we can compete and enjoy the game.”

Heading into Tuesday’s fixture, Ghana sit second in Group L and will complete their group stage against Croatia on Saturday.

Discussing Ghana’s approach, Partey added: “It’s not about personal achievement. We’re going out there to play football. We are 11 players, a team. We must perform collectively. If I can play my best game individually, I’ll be pleased, but in the end, the entire team needs to be at its peak to achieve our goals.”

Partey’s initial visa refusal by Canadian authorities led his legal representatives to file a last-minute appeal with the Federal Court in Ottawa last Tuesday.

Judge Roger Lafreniere, in rejecting the appeal, wrote that Partey had sought “extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief” which would have compelled Canada to override a “lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding and facilitate his entry for a specific event.”

Although Partey has since received a visa from the U.S. government, Canadian immigration officials maintained that under national law, foreign nationals can be deemed inadmissible even without a conviction abroad.