Juventus captain Danilo is currently running on an expiring contract, but he might have the opportunity to force his stay for another year.

The defender’s future has been a topic of great debate over the past few weeks.

The Brazilian has been a stalwart for the club over the past few years and an automatic starter at the back. However, he lost his prominence upon Thiago Motta’s arrival.

The 33-year-old has only made a single five-minute cameo in the first four rounds of the Serie A campaign.

Therefore, many fans and pundits are expecting the Brazil captain to depart sooner rather than later.

But what about the often-mentioned automatic contract extension clause?

Calciomercato sheds some light on the situation, explaining how Danilo could earn himself a new Juventus contract.

As the source tells it, the skipper would have to make appearances in 50% +1 of the club’s overall fixtures throughout the season.

This is the same stipulation that allowed his friend and compatriot Alex Sandro to extend his stay in Turin at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Hence, some observers with a skeptical eye suggested that this could be the main reason behind Danilo’s limited role this season. In other words, the management wishes to avoid an automatic renewal, thus instructing Motta to keep the veteran on the bench.

Nevertheless, the source denies this theory, insisting that the coach won’t hinder his team’s chances by adopting such maneuvers.

So if Motta ever feels the need for Danilo’s services, he will be giving the nod to the club captain regardless of all contractual considerations.