Tim Sherwood has urged Etienne Capoue to prove that he is good enough to play for Tottenham Hotspur.

The midfielder, who was a summer signing from Toulouse under the management of Andre Villas-Boas, has struggled to adapt to life at White Hart Lane and was linked with a move to Napoli during the January transfer window.

"He's here until the end of the season and hopefully he'll get enough chances to prove he's good enough to play in his national team at the World Cup," Goal.com quotes Sherwood as saying.

"To get in the team he just has to play and train well and show that he's as good as what's in front of him. That's how it is. Whatever we're left with after deadline day, it's pretty much a clean slate.

"I'm not going to pick anyone just because he's English or French, it's not like that. If you're playing well and I like you better than the other one, then ultimately I like to win football games so the best team plays."

Spurs play Hull City this afternoon.