Watford head coach Javi Gracia has said that Etienne Capoue is fully deserving of his new contract at Vicarage Road.

Earlier on Thursday, Watford announced that Capoue had penned a new long-term deal with the club having being brought back into the team since the January arrival of Gracia.

Capoue has started to form a promising relationship with Abdoulaye Doucoure in the centre of the park, and Gracia has revealed that he has been impressed with the attitude of the Frenchman since he was handed a recall to the starting lineup.

The 47-year-old is quoted by the Watford Observer as saying: "For us, Capoue is a very important player. Not only because he is doing a good job, I think he is very important because he has a very good attitude.

"He has experience and in that position, as a midfielder, it's true, we don't have many options in this moment. But we have a very good balance with Capoue and Doucoure playing together. I hope in the next game, not only will he do a good job, I believe he can score goals and help with other things too."

Since moving to Watford in July 2015, Capoue has scored 10 goals in 92 appearances in all competitions.