Reports: Tottenham Agree Deal to Sign Etienne Capoue from Toulouse

Tottenham Hotspur's busy summer in the transfer market continued Friday as the Daily Mail reported that the North London club have completed the £8.6 million signing of French midfielder Etienne Capoue, subject to a medical.

Once completed, the deal would have implications in three areas for Spurs.

First, it would suggest that Tottenham plan to use Paulinho, another summer signing in the midfield, as a No. 10. Second, it would again demonstrate, after three previous summer signings, that Spurs do not plan to stand pat amid the rumors about Gareth Bale's future. Finally, it would draw further contrast between Tottenham and rivals Arsenal in the two rivals' race for the Premier League top four.

Per BBC Sport, the deal is expected to be announced officially either late Friday or on Saturday. Capoue, 25, has been capped five times by France and can play in the midfield or central defense. Last season, he made 34 Ligue 1 appearances for Toulouse, scoring seven goals.

As a hybrid defensive-minded midfielder and defender, Capoue likely will play a holding role in Tottenham's midfield. That would suggest Paulinho, a versatile midfielder who can play in the holding role or as a No. 10, could play as the latter.

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Etienne Capoue arriving at #Spurs begins to point toward Paulinho as a No. 10

— Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) August 7, 2013"

As B/R's Ernesto Malave writes:

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Paulinho has experience at the No. 10 position, having played there for Brazilian club Corinthians for the several months prior to his sale. He is an unorthodox choice for the role, to be sure, but he could be deployed in a manner similar to Everton's Marouane Fellaini.

Putting a more domineering physical presence at the No. 10 position allows for very effective harassment of deep-lying playmakers, as well as serving as a better position from which to threaten the goal. Given Paulinho's speed, power, tackling ability and shooting prowess, he seems a fine candidate for transition to such a role.

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For Spurs supporters, the news should serve as a welcome development.

With Bale's future uncertain amid talk of a potential world-record transfer to Real Madrid, Tottenham have shown initiative in the transfer market this summer. Capoue would be the club's fourth signing, after Paulinho (from Corinthians), striker Roberto Soldado (Valencia) and winger Nacer Chadli (Twente).

That record stands in sharp contrast to North London rivals Arsenal, who have signed only France Under-21 striker Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer. The Gunners were linked heavily with Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain before he joined Napoli, and Liverpool's Luis Suarez reportedly remains a target, according to sources including the Independent.

(Arsenal were previously linked with Capoue as well, according to ESPN.)

Spurs and Arsenal competed head-to-head for fourth place last season in the Premier League, with Arsenal edging their rivals by one point. Their reward was a place in the final qualifying round for this season's UEFA Champions League group stage.

This season, the same two clubs likely will fight for top-four places along with title favorites Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. But while Arsenal have been quiet in the transfer market, Spurs have been busy.

Will that translate to a top-four finish for Spurs next May? With the new season fast approaching, we'll know soon enough.

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