Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue has completed a permanent move to Villarreal. The Frenchman departs after five-and-a-half years at Vicarage Road in which he helped them establish themselves in the Premier League as well as reach the FA Cup final in 2019.
Capoue joins the La Liga high flyers for an undisclosed fee and becomes their first signing of the winter transfer window. Unai Emery’s team are fourth in the table, hoping to secure a spot in the Champions League next season.
Etienne Capoue Joins Villarreal From Watford
Capoue Departs After Five-and-a-Half Years at Vicarage Road
Capoue’s departure is just the beginning of what is expected to be another busy transfer window at Watford. The Hornets have sold the experienced Frenchman but are also close to signing Danish winger Philip Zinckernagel from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.
Capoue has been a fixture in the Watford side since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur in 2015. At that time, he was their record signing and certainly he has been a terrific servant for the club. He made 181 appearances for the Hornets as he helped them establish themselves in the Premier League until their relegation last season. Capoue also helped Watford reach the FA Cup final in 2019 but they were beaten on the day by Manchester City.
He has played a role this campaign too, helping Watford compete for promotion from the Championship. They sit fourth in the table, just two points off the automatic promotion places.
He was a destroyer in the Watford midfield, forming a good partnership with Abdoulaye Doucoure until he departed for Everton. Capoue started Xisco Munoz’s first game in charge against Norwich City, helping Watford to victory in what would prove to be his final game in the yellow shirt.
Unai Emery’s Villarreal side have impressed this season as they look to secure a place in the top four. Capoue will become the second Watford player to join the Spanish side this season after Ecuadorian full-back Pervis Estupinan joined the Yellow Submarine in the summer window.
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