Berlin, Feb 20 : Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Brazilian left-back Kaua Prates from Brazilian top-flight side Cruzeiro, with the 17-year-old set to join the Bundesliga club ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Dortmund confirmed that Prates has signed a long-term contract running until 2031 after successfully undergoing a medical this week. The defender will remain under contract with Cruzeiro until the summer of 2026 before linking up with his new club in Germany, reports Xinhua.

Prates, who stands 1.84 meters tall, moved to Cruzeiro's youth academy in 2019 and made his professional debut in May 2025 at the age of 16. He has since featured in 17 matches for Cruzeiro's first team.

On the international stage, the junior international helped Brazil's U17 side lift the South American U17 Championship last year.

"With Kaua, we have been able to secure an extremely exciting player for us. He is still very young and is among the most talented players in South America. We are convinced that with his abilities, his ambition and his development potential, he fits Borussia Dortmund very well," said sporting managing director Lars Ricken.

Sporting director Sebastian Kehl also expressed his satisfaction at completing the deal. "We are delighted to have signed Kaua. He is a highly talented player with a very versatile profile and is capable of playing in several defensive positions within various systems. His tackling ability, robustness, and mentality will undoubtedly enrich our team next season," Kehl said.

Prates said he was eager to begin the next chapter of his career in Germany. "I am very proud to be able to play for this great club from the summer. I am incredibly excited, and I will give everything from day one in black and yellow to be successful with BVB," he said.

Prates is set to become Dortmund's 16th Brazilian player. Only Germany has provided more players and combined appearances for the club. The Brazilian connection began with Julio Cesar in 1994, while Dede holds the record for most appearances by a non-German with 398.

Borussia Dortmund remains in the Bundesliga title race, sitting second and six points behind leader Bayern Munich, while also keeping its Champions League hopes alive after a 2-0 first-leg win over Atalanta in the round-of-16 tie.

/IANS