Etienne Capoue says he is eager to repay the faith shown in him by Watford after being “given a second chance” at Premier League football by the club.

The French midfielder put pen to paper on a four-year contract extension last week, which will tie him to the Vicarage Road club until 2022.

Having joined Watford from Tottenham Hotspur shortly after the Hornets were promoted in 2015, Capoue admits to having some reservations, which soon dissipated, about the move at first.

“First of all, this is the club that gave me a second chance in the Premier League. We’ve done very well since I’ve been here and I want to keep it going as I have a good relationship with the club,” he told the Watford website.

“I was scared to sign here, because Watford were just promoted, but I felt straight away with Gino Pozzo that I can sign here very easily.

“[I felt] the structure of the club would be very strong and we were going to stay in the Premier League.

“We’ve done very well since then, our club is moving forward every season so it was an easy decision for me to stay.”

Capoue’s laid back approach has often seen him take the brunt of supporters’ frustrations when things have gone against the Hornets.

He says his style of play belies the work-rate which informs his every day approach and feels those on the inside at the club know he is committed to the cause.

“Every game I play as a Watford player I give everything,” he said, “Even if you maybe watch me and you feel like I’m not, inside the club nobody is saying I am not working hard.”

Upon arrival at Vicarage Road Capoue’s capture was seen as a coup for the club as they took a player who had impressed in fits and starts for Spurs.

Signing players from clubs of such stature is now a regular occurrence for Watford, with the likes of Roberto Pereyra arriving from Juventus and Gerard Deulofeu completing a loan switch from Barcelona.

For Capoue, the calibre of player he shares the Watford dressing room with is the biggest change between the club he joined and the Watford of 2018.

“The biggest difference since I signed here is the quality of the players – there is more and more quality every season,” he said.

“A lot of players want to sign for Watford now, nobody is scared to join the club and make very good goals here.

“To reach big goals you need competition between players. With each year there is more competition in every position.

“That is good for the team and good for the coach as he has hard decisions to take to choose the first XI. I hope we keep doing this because we can do very well.”

With Watford looking set to secure a fourth successive campaign of top flight football by staying up this season, the ambition to grow further is clear.

Capoue says climbing up the table in seasons to come is a target and also longs for the tangible reward of silverware.

“I want, if I can, to win a trophy with Watford,” he said. “It would be the best thing and also a better [league] position every year. If we can finish in the top 10 it will be a very good season.”