Amidst a difficult season on and off the pitch, Juventus have been aided by the dependable Danilo in defence, with the Brazil international proving himself as a leader and a reliable figure in Massimiliano Allegri‘s team.
The Bianconeri are still reeling from the 15-point deduction handed down to them last month after being found guilty of capital gains fraud, and it has left them languishing in 10th place in Serie A, instead of in third as they would have found themselves without the penalty.
Captain Danilo is Allegri’s trusted lieutenant
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, despite the turbulence behind the scenes, Danilo has established himself as one of Juventus‘ most important players and leads the way in minutes on the pitch for the club this term, seemingly not knowing the meaning of rest.
The ex-Real Madrid full-back has seen 2,422 of action following Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Salernitana, and is the only Bianconeri player to have surpassed 2,000 minutes on the pitch, whilst he has started Juventus‘ last 15 league games and been named captain in all.
Whilst Allegri famously keeps his distance from players in-game and leaves communication to his staff, the former AC Milan coach has regularly been seen conferring with his leader on the touchline and Danilo has earned the trust of his coach in a way few others have.
Danilo arrived at the Allianz Stadium in 2019 to little fanfare, having been a makeweight in a deal that saw Portugal star Joao Cancelo move to Manchester City. However, he has rarely missed a game for the Bianconeri and asserted himself as a popular figure with fans, teammates, and former coaches Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo, as well as Allegri.
The ex-Porto defender is described as an influential figure in the dressing room, with a winning mentality and the confidence to be the leader, despite others having seniority, prompting the Bianconeri to hand him the captain’s armband.
Contract talks on hold for now
However, his future in Turin is far from clear, with his contract due to expire at the end of next season and little to suggest that a new deal is immediately set to be signed off, despite an agreement in principle on a one-year extension with the option of a second.
Juventus have undergone wholesale changes at boardroom level in the aftermath of the capital gains scandal, and Danilo is still waiting for the new set up to finalise terms that would keep him beyond next summer.
Whilst Danilo is determined to remain at Juventus, talks are currently on hold and there has been no schedule for when they will recommence and an agreement may be reached.
