How midfield gem Justin Lerma is gearing up for Borussia Dortmund | OneFootball

He is considered one of the greatest talents in South American football. And this continent has produced Pelé, Diego Armando Maradona, and Lionel Messi. Whether Justin Lerma will ever be able to fill these (admittedly huge) shoes is, of course, still completely uncertain. Starting next summer, the 17-year-old jewel from Ecuador will be able to showcase his skills in the Bundesliga.

Until then, the attacking midfielder will continue to play for the Ecuadorian Serie A club Independiente Del Valle. Since the league is held within the calendar year, the competition is currently on hold. Lerma celebrated the title with his club in December 2025. It was only the second championship in the club's history. The future Dortmund player made eleven appearances across all competitions.

BVB announced the signing of Lerma as early as May 2024. However, the youngster can only transfer once he is of legal age – starting from May 5, 2026. “Justin Lerma is a super interesting player that Borussia Dortmund signed in advance more than a year and a half ago,” enthuses reporter Patrick Berger in the Sky-Sport podcast “Auffe Süd.”

“He is considered THE midfield talent in Ecuador and holds a high status in South America,” agrees his colleague Jesco von Eichmann, adding: “Experts say that BVB has made a really good catch there.”

Against St. Pauli in the Stadium

To acclimatize himself, Lerma is staying in Dortmund during the season break for the “third time since the announcement of the transfer,” reports Berger. “He is to be familiarized here, and BVB is taking very close care of the young man.” Additionally, a club employee regularly flies to Ecuador to exchange with the player. The midfield jewel is taking English lessons and learning football-specific vocabulary, it is said.

Lerma possesses strengths in both offense and defense. The U20 national player seeks one-on-one situations and is considered a typical box-to-box player. Before showcasing his skills on the field in Germany, he will first watch the match against FC St. Pauli at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday (January 17, 3:30 PM).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.