[Sport] Villarreal thinks of Capoue, whom Javi Gracia wanted for Valencia

[#Steeven.™]

Etienne Capoue is the best placed footballer to replace the injured Vicente Iborra at Villarreal until the end of the season. Plazadeportiva has advanced the interest of the submarine in the Watford midfield, which during the past summer market had been an express request of Javi Gracia to reinforce the Valencia midfield after the departure of Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin, precisely to Villarreal.

Villarreal had decided since the severity of the Valencian midfielder's knee injury was confirmed that he was going to strengthen that position taking into account, in addition, the problems that Francis Coquelin is having this season with muscle injuries. The 32-year-old Capoue is also well known by Villarreal coach Unai Emery from his passing through the ranks of Arsenal as a coach.

It was Javi Gracia who insisted on the veteran French footballer since last August, when Valencia let Parejo and Coquelin out to Villarreal before the new black and white coach came to meet them in the Paterna dressing room. Even having Kondogbia in the team, the Navarrese coach asked President Anil Murthy to reinforce the squad with the French footballer, who is completely trusted by him and who would have an immediate performance in the team.

Taking advantage of the fact that Watford - relegated to the Championship - also had an interest in lightening the squad, Javi Gracia got in touch with Capoue and assured him that the club was going to seriously try to sign him. For this reason, before starting the competition, the French footballer requested the transfer request in September to (formula through which the players ask their clubs to negotiate his departure). The Hornets made official the situation for which they accepted to listen to offers for the soccer player. But Valencia even rejected the transfer at zero cost until the end of the season. Then, the Valencia coach was told that Peter Lim had not approved the operation due to the age of the player and the total cost (just over 2 million euros) at a time when they had not achieved more income for sales.

In this winter market - and even more so after Kondogbia left Atlético in October - Capoue's name was also going to be on Valencia's table. But Villarreal has also had an eye on him and he seems more determined to go ahead to get his services.