West Ham Set Sights on Watford Midfielder Etienne Capoue for Cut Price Fee

West Ham are reportedly keen on Watford's French midfielder Etienne Capoue, with the Hammers apparently willing to let the 29-year-old leave for as little as £12m in January.

As per the Daily Mail, the East London outfit are keen to bolster the centre of their midfield with the combative style of the Frenchman, and the Hornets are seemingly open to negotiations.

The former Tottenham player has been an integral player at Watford since their promotion to the Premier League in 2015, but has struggled to retain his starting place under Marco Silva this season.

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The France international has made 85 appearances for the Hornets, notching nine goals and two assists in that time, with seven of those goals coming during last season.

The defensive midfielder was an indispensable member of the starting 11, making 37 starts in the league.

Despite his limited opportunites this campaign, Capoue, whose scoring tally last season was enough to make him Watford's second top scorer, has still managed to collect two goals in his 10 appearances across competitions this time out. 

The Hammers are apparently extremely keen on the midfielder, but despite the relatively low figure considering the market's current inflation and the player's reasonably impressive exploits in England, there is still apprehension as to whether he should be a primary target for the club.

In spite of his notable showings last season, you could forgive West Ham's fans for questioning the signing, considering their position in the league as well as the Frenchman's form and age. 

While any new additions would ostensibly be welcomed in East London at this point, the club's poor transfer record over the last few seasons has left fans skeptical of most of the Irons' transfer dealings.