[SOLD] Etienne Capoue

Capoue is unquestionably a great player, but he’s also a wasted talent. If he had the desire and application he should never have been anywhere near a team like us, he could’ve been a consistent starter for a champions league team. He has always preferred being a big fish in a small pond without the pressure, and we suited him down to the ground while we were a premier league club, close to London, adores by the fans, no pressure on his performances at all. He could’ve made it at a higher level but didn’t want to, he doesn’t seem the type just will have any regrets about that.

A few players like that in the team are fine, but I think we’ve filled our squad with too many over the past few years. It leaves you relying on enough of them turning in good performances regularly enough to pick up good results. Those type of player are no good in a championship promotion push.

 

The fact Leventhal has said no one in the dressing room will be surprised at him leaving tells me he’s been clear he wants to try a new league/culture all along and was only brought back into the fold because he was the last man standing of the ‘want away’ summer group come the end of the window. Of course he was gonna go cap in hand to Giraldi and Gino and ask to reintegrate - that didn’t mean that his agent wasn’t still tasked with finding a new ‘envirnonment’ for him over the past few months. I imagine most Spanish and Italian clubs have probably been kept well aware of his availability- his agent is Mino Raiola after all.

I think the club have to be very shrewd in trying to replace him mind you.

 

I fear many of you have not read the article if you're expecting a replacement. This is if we take anything AL says without the largest pinch of salt, of course.

He clearly takes a lot of what he says from this forum/social media (the last, hilarious sentence for instance) but I completely can believe we will not be spending anything to replace Capoue.

Here is the part of the article

The club will hope that Munoz’s motivational tactics will be able to stimulate the group and options can be found internally rather than there being the need for significant investment.

It’s expected minor alterations rather than a redesign will take place. It’s known that Pozzo expects coaches to improve players, not simply ask for more. If he can effectively fill the gap left by Capoue with a combination of Nathaniel Chalobah, Will Hughes, Tom Cleverley, James Garner, Dan Phillips and Quina, with the outside chance of Tom Dele-Bashiru being an option before the end of the season, then all the better. Ben Wilmot, whom the club are keen to secure to a longer-term contract (he has 18 months remaining with the option of a further year), is also capable of playing as a holding midfielder if need be.

 

If Muñoz can fill the gap left by Capoue with Dan "second touch is a yellow card tackle" Phillips then he deserves Manager of the Year.

Levanthal being spoonfed by the club to prepare us for no replacement.

 

This is true, and I found it very vexing to read, but it should also be noted that in their transfer tracker on Sunday night he said that it was expected a replacement would be brought in, so as ever it seems like Leventhal finds it quite difficult to offer any genuine insight on what is actually likely to happen either way.

 

Also seems as if Leventhal is unable to not contradict himself within 48hrs and two articles.

 

I said it in the safe, will never happen, but a bit of a left field idea would be to use the cash saved selling Capoue and offer Gerri double his wages to come back for the rest of the season. I know he’s not a replacement, but the extra quality he’d add would mean we could probably cover Capoue with the players we’ve got.

Gerri might still not be up for it but surely he’d consider such an offer?

 

Or perhaps he didn't push the Pozzo propaganda quite right the first time and was quickly corrected?

 

Hasn’t it been suggested today that he’s very unlikely to return at all, let alone next month? I think there’s zero chance he returns to play in the Championship personally whatever the offer may be.

I think Deulofeu was pretty cliquey with Pereyra, Pussetto, Penaranda etc if social media is anything to go by. Given they’ve all departed in various states, I can see him wanting a move anyway, even if not at Udinese. I doubt he has many ties left to ourselves really. Probably came with the idea of it being 2-3 seasons and moving on.

Only chance we have is getting promoted and him wanting another crack at the PL. But even then, I think it’s an outside chance really.

 

I agree there is no chance he’d come back, it was just whether he’d consider it if Gino said, look, I’ll double your wage if you come back to help us out?

I know we potentially need to cut costs, but net we’d be no worse off than if we kept Capoue but we’d have a player that would absolute destroy that league.

He still might not consider it though, and it would require some out of the box thinking from Gino.

 

I think it’s the fact we were told Deulofeu wants a permanent move still that would mean any January return is a non-starter.

Something that hasn’t been mentioned is Leventhal states clearly that Cucho has no recall clause - yet the club stated clearly that we do when they announced it. Who’s lying?

 

I think there's been some crossed wires - the club said there was a break clause in January - I think we all assumed that meant a recall clause for when Cucho gets his work permit (not that he needs one now), but I think it was actually a minutes related clause (for instance if he wasn't getting game-time we could cancel the loan) instead.

 

Even Leventhal hasn't suggested that so it's just a theory. Also, we can add the possibility that they never had any intention of him playing here this season or ever and chucked that line in to placate the fans. Like the 'Capoue is 100% committed' story.

 

I think that was always the most likely plan, but the break clause that was announced (https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-seven-departures-confirmed) was there simply to protect themselves in case things didn't go as planned with the loan and we were simply wishing he were to come back in January.

 

Same with many journalists, unfortunately. If you want access, toe the party line. Not so nefarious when it comes to football! The ONLY way top 2 is possible is getting Hughes fit and him being a regular starter for the rest of the season.

 

Then if that’s the case, then it’s arguable the club have made another bad choice. He’s our player - if he was eligible to play (theoretical I know), then we should have inserted a clause which meant we had the right to unilaterally recall him.

 

Also worth noting that Leventhal did a whole transfer piece on us this morning - and it didn’t say a word about Zinckernagel despite it being so close to done...and apparently in the offing since September.

 

Far too busy cluttering up my inbox with meaningless tosh about "27 ways to stir fry a premier league player" or some other nonsense.

 

Spanish media claiming Capoue is in Spain finalising the move.

Fee is nearer £2m according to as.com, as opposed to the £4.5m originally stated.

 

Of course it is. What a replacement they're going to be, whoever they are.

 

Replacement needs to be Ben Whiteman at Doncaster. Contract expiring and if we’re only getting £2mil for Caps, then signing Whiteman is a no brainer. Won’t cost more than £500k.

 

Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue in Spain for Villarreal medical | Watford Observer

£2m is a low figure, but then Watford rarely sell at an optimum price. Very poor negotiators when it comes to selling players.

 

Yes. Should have just sold him for £5m instead. Simple really.

 

£4.5m always seemed high at his age and profile to me. I think somewhere in the middle is about right. But I’m not gonna go overboard about £500k-£1m.

Capoue has served us well and we’ve easily had our money’s worth so if we have to take £1m hit to let him finish his career how he wants, with the added benefit of a big wage off the budget, so be it.

 

It's time for Hughes and Chalobah to live up to their potential and be the midfield pair we all hoped they might become

 

The Spanish media and journalists that first broke the story quoted €4.5m...it’s come down in value a couple of times since which I think suggests the original article was likely guessing. Or factoring in wages.

 

I’m still not convinced Hughes won’t be off next month. A succession of small injuries and illnesses that have conveniently lasted from one transfer window to the next.

Obviously I could be (and probably am) doing him a disservice and it’s all genuine. I just have my doubts. I’m convinced he’d have been gone under Ivic but maybe this new manager has enough positivity about him to keep Hughes on board.

Either way, he’s no good to us continually injured/ill or on the bench.

 

Pretty sure Leventhal is the source of the £4.5m fee, on the Athletic’s Transfer Tracker.

 

It's a tricky one with Hughes. Watford will need him to sign a new contract, but being in the Championship it's tough to get him to commit further. His contract runs out in June 2022, so only 18 months to go. That's the time owners get a bit twitchy.

Now I don't for one minute believe Hughes' issues have not been genuine, but I'd be amazed if the club sold both Capoue and Hughes in this window. If we screw up and miss out on promotion he'll certainly go at the end of the season, but if we go up then I think there's every chance he'll extend his stay with us and sign a nice new contract.

 

Based on his brief cameos recently though he hasn't looked fully fit. He was so anonymous when he came on vs Norwich that I'd definitely consider a sizeable bid if it came in for him. Hughes' upper level is good, but not fantastic, and on his off days, which are frequent, he's often been our worst player - falling over at the drop of a hat and losing all his 50-50s. The Championship isn't the best quality league but it's still tough; a jaded Hughes would not be a huge asset.

 

He was our player of the season last season and is a massive asset in the Championship as he is one of the best midfielders in the division when he is fit (which I think he will be within the next few weeks). We simply cannot afford to lose him and Capoue especially because we probably won't replace them with anyone half as talented. He is still getting fit and hasn't played in ages so judging him on coming on for 20 minutes as a sub after so long out is a little bit harsh.

 

Whilst I think Hughes is a good player, I do think he’s consistently overhyped by our own fans. And some strangely have him pinned as a creative midfielder when he just isn’t. Sure he has his moments but he’s more industrious than anything else.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather keep him and agree he’s one of the best in the division. But I don’t think he’s as good as a lot of our fans make out. And he certainly doesn’t stay fit nearly enough.

I don’t give much credence to him being potentially our POTS last season as it was the shallowest pool of contenders to pick from. He basically ran around more than the others post-lockdown.

 

He's the type we should be going after even if it wasn't a replacement. Ok I've only really seen highlights but he's the one that stands out. As for Grimes who I've seen quite a bit I still can't see the appeal especially for the money being quoted.

 

Very true and it's concerning that we've not seen him much this season. But if we stick with 442 we will need two disciplined central midfield players. He is capable again if he's fit and stays fit. As @lowerrous said he does lose out on a lot of 50-50 challenges and that cannot happen in this league.