Former Old Lady defender Danilo has spoken out about Luciano Spalletti as a potential leader of the new Juventus team in an interview with Juventus Play.
The 34-year-old, who now plays for Flamengo in his native Brazil and has made 213 appearances for the Turin giants alongside some of the club’s greatest players, knows a thing or two about dressing room chemistry.
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Speaking about the change in atmosphere following the departure of iconic figures such as Buffon, Chiellini and Bonucci, he stressed the importance of new faces in the captain’s quarters. “When they started leaving, I knew someone had to take their place.”
Putting that sentiment forward now, Danilo has identified Manuel Locatelli and Federico Gatti as key figures in the current crop of players. He also paid special attention to Weston McKennie, revealing an interesting story about a time when the Bicas-born defender wore the captain’s armband and the American was only a substitute.
Danilo urged him to become a key figure in the team, saying: “Wes, you can be important here; you’ve been through important locker rooms.” For Brazilians traveling from afar, the real challenge is conveying the club’s values to foreign players, and seeing McKennie’s commitment and dedication appears to represent “the greatest joy”.
GIFN | Max Bradfield