Former Premier League midfielder Etienne Capoue has joined a new club… a third division basketball team.
The 36-year-old was recently released by Spanish club Villarreal, ending his three-and-a-half-year stay at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
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During his time at Villarreal, he helped the Yellow Submarine to its first and only cup win in the club’s 101-year history.
He started in the team’s victory in the 2021 Europa League final against Manchester United – just months after arriving from Watford.
But incredibly, he could now be on the verge of starting a new basketball career with Spanish underdog CB Jovens L’Eliana.
This is according to the news agency Relevo, which stated that he had exchanged the football field for a basketball court.
It is claimed that the Frenchman, who played for Tottenham for two years between 2013 and 2015, spent the last week training with the club, which plays in the third division of the Spanish basketball pyramid.
The news channel even said that he took part in a friendly match last weekend, which his team won 78-70 against CB Morvedre.
This was backed up by an Instagram post from CB Jovens L’Eliana, in which Capoue was seen wearing the club’s colours.
However, it is said that he is not yet registered with the team, which means he cannot take part in any competitive matches.
It remains to be seen whether the former Spurs and Watford star will officially join the basketball team.
However, a source at CB Jovens L’Eliana clarified Capoue’s mindset, telling Relevo that he has every intention of “ending his days as a footballer”.
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![But Capoue [second from top left] was now able to realize his dream of becoming a basketball player](https://talksport.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/former-premier-league-star-etienne-932292483.jpg?strip=all&w=960 "Ex-Tottenham midfielder joins Spanish basketball minnows in shock career change age 36 3")
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They also explained: “We don’t want to put pressure on him. He told us that he wants to play, that he wants to train.”
If Capoue signs an official contract with CB Jovens L’Eliana, it would be a childhood dream of his to play basketball that would come true.
Only last year he spoke for the first time about his love of sport, but did not rule out a possible career change.
He told Relevo: “My dream as a kid was to play NBA basketball. Absolutely.”
“That was my dream. But it’s still my dream, right? I don’t know.”
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