Javi Gracia heaped praise on Etienne Capoue after the Watford midfielder agreed a new four-year-contract.

The deal ties 29-year-old Capoue, who joined the Hornets in 2015, to the Vicarage Road club until the summer of 2022.

Capoue has impressed under Gracia since the Spaniard took over in January and has benefitted from playing in a deeper role.

It is little surprise then that the Watford boss is pleased to have secured the Frenchman’s long-term future.

“For us Capoue is a very important player, not only because he is doing a good job but because he has a very good attitude,” Gracia said.

“He has experience in his position. We do not have many options in this moment and we have very good balance with Capoue and Doucoure playing.

“I hope in the next game we make a good job and I believe he can score goals and help us.

“I am very happy with Capoue and all the team.”

Capoue arrived at Watford from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £5.7 million and has gone on to make 92 appearances for the Hornets.

He has scored 10 goals in that time and has also been capped seven times by France, finding the net once for his country.

The midfielder’s laid back approach has often seen him on the reeving end of criticism and he has polarised opinion among Watford fans.

His form under Gracia has been impressive and the former Toulouse man says he has enjoyed working under the new Watford head coach after falling out of favour with Marco Silva.