There are initial considerations to let 18-year-old Ecuadorian attacking midfielder Justin Lerma leave in the winter. Lerma is currently unable to play for the reserve team in the Regionalliga West due to employment law requirements. It is also considered unlikely that Lerma will get playing time under coach Niko Kovac at this point. Before any move, Justin Lerma should recover from his acute muscle injury. Further steps for his development will be clarified afterwards. The midfielder joined Borussia Dortmund on July 1, 2026, and his contract runs until June 30, 2031. He has been capped four times for the Ecuador U20 national team and has a current Transfermarkt market value of €3.20m.