BVB reject South American winter loan rumours for young striker

At the Westfalenstadion a single tweet from a South American account ignited a flurry of speculation, suggesting that Borussia Dortmund’s promising forward could be on the move to Greece in January. Within hours the club issued a clear denial, quelling the growing buzz.

Photo credit: Leon Kügeler/Getty Images. Justin Lerma has not made an Einsatz for the BVB this season, a fact the club highlighted in its statement.

The lack of playing time stems partly from an injury and partly from the need for further physical development,

Winter loan speculation

According to a report from Ecuador, Lerma is poised for a Leihe to PAOK Thessaloniki. The rumour originated from the Twitter account “MrOFF”, which on 16 September 2026 claimed the midfielder would leave Dortmund in January due to limited first‑team minutes and join the Greek Erstligisten.

PAOK, however, categorically rejected the story, with the sport portal.gr relaying the club’s denial.

Previous links and future prospects

The name Lerma is not new in PAOK discussions. Last summer, during talks about Giannis Konstantelias’s move to Dortmund, Lerma, alongside Christos Kostoglou and Samuele Inacio, was mentioned as a possible opposite‑direction transfer, though no deal materialised.

Nevertheless, a winter loan remains plausible. Dortmund’s hierarchy does not yet view the midfielder as a genuine alternative for the senior squad, according to various media sources.

Complicating matters, Lerma is only eligible for Niko Kovac’s first‑team side, the Premier League International Cup and the Youth League. He cannot feature in the U23 or U19 squads, limiting his match practice unless he secures senior minutes or a loan move.