Borussia Dortmund has secured the signing of 16-year-old Ecuadorian footballer Justin Lerma, the latest prospect from Independiente del Valle. Lerma recently made his debut for the first team in a Liga Pro match in Ecuador.

Lerma, who made his debut in April at just 15 years old, will continue playing for Independiente del Valle until he reaches the legal age, at which point he will formally join the German team, as announced by the Ecuadorian club in a statement on Monday.

Thus, Lerma will don the yellow jersey starting from the 2026-2027 season. Borussia Dortmund's sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, mentioned that their office has been monitoring Justin's progress "for a long time."

"We have maintained a close relationship with him and his family. He is one of the best South American talents of his generation, and we are excited to have him at Borussia Dortmund," expressed Kehl.

The official statement from Independiente del Valle does not disclose the transfer fee for Lerma, although some Ecuadorian media outlets suggest it could be around $10 million, with an additional percentage from Lerma's future transfer from Borussia Dortmund to another club.

In Lerma's case, Borussia Dortmund made his signing official when the player had only accumulated 65 minutes in Independiente del Valle's first team, with two appearances in the Ecuadorian Liga Pro, coming off the bench against Universidad Católica and El Nacional.