Newly-promoted English Premier League side Watford have broken their transfer record to sign France midfielder Etienne Capoue from Tottenham Hotspur, the club announced on their official website Monday.

The Hornets have secured the seven-times capped French international on a four-year contract after he made just 24 league appearances at White Hart Lane since arriving in 2013.

"I'm very excited to come here to join the club and to participate in this big project," said the Frenchman, who turns 27 this week.

"I have known (goalkeeper) Heurelho Gomes for two years and he told me a lot of good things about the club, and this played a part in me choosing Watford.

"For me it's an opportunity to play. I need to play and to prove my qualities on the pitch, and I think Watford is the best thing for me."

Watford, who were promoted last season after finishing as Championship runners-up behind Bournemouth, said they had broken their club record transfer fee to sign Capoue without stating how much they had paid.

The club's previous record came when they paid West Bromwich Albion £3.25 million (4.6m euros, $5.1m) for striker Nathan Ellington eight years ago.

He is Watford's fifth summer signing after the arrivals of Matej Vydra from Udinese, Jose Holebas from Roma, Sebastian Proedl from Werder Bremen and Giedrius Arlauskis from Steaua Bucharest.

Capoue made his name at Ligue 1 side Toulouse after progressing through their youth ranks, making nearly 200 appearances for the first team.

That convinced Tottenham to part with over £9 million for the midfielder, but his time in north London was not successful as he fell out of favour with current boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Capoue is the second midfielder to leave White Hart Lane in the close season after Brazilian international Paulinho left for Guangzhou Evergrande in China.