Borussia Dortmund have announced a deal to bring Ecuadorian talent Justin Lerma to the Signal Iduna Park when he turns 18 in 2026.

Lerma was 15 when he made his senior debut for Ecuador's Independiente del Valle a month ago. The 16-year-old midfielder made his first start this past weekend, playing 57 minutes of the 2-1 win over El Nacional.

"We've been observing Justin for some time and have maintained close contact with the player and his family since then," said Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl. "Justin is one of the best South American players of his generation and we are delighted to have acquired such an outstanding talent for Borussia Dortmund."

Until his 18th birthday on 5 May 2026, Lerma is set to continue his development at Independiente, who also produced Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapié and Eintracht Frankfurt's Willian Pacho, as well as Chelsea's Moisés Caicedo.

The Ecuador youth international will then hope to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Mario Götze, Christian Pulisic, Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Youssoufa Moukoko at Dortmund, arguably one of the best clubs in the world for giving young footballers a chance on the big stage.

Watch: A look back at some of the youngsters to have made it at BVB in recent years

Lerma could become the seventh Ecuadorian to play in the Bundesliga, but first for Dortmund. He will officially join the five-time Bundesliga winners in time for the 2026/27 campaign.

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SIGNAL IDUNA PARK