Jefferson Andrés Lerma Solís (born 25 October 1994) is a Colombian professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
defensive midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
or
centre-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...
for
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick
* Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario
* Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
and the
Colombia national team.
A youth product of
Atlético Huila
Atlético Huila is a professional Colombian association football, football team based in Neiva, that currently plays in the Categoría Primera B. The club was founded in 1990, making it one of the youngest professional football clubs in Colombia. ...
, Lerma played for three years in Colombia before joining Spanish side
Levante on loan in 2016. That same year, Levante bought Lerma outright on a four-year contract. In 2018, Lerma was signed by Premier League side
AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth ( ) is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. ...
for a club record fee of €30 million. He spent five years at the club until 2023, departing on a free transfer for Crystal Palace, where he won the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
in
2025
So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
.
Lerma first played with
Colombia's Olympic team, representing them at the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
in
Rio
Rio or Río is the Portuguese and Spanish word for "river". The word also exists in Italian, but is largely obsolete and used in a poetical or literary context to mean "stream".
Rio, RIO or Río may also refer to:
Places United States
* Rio, Fl ...
, and made his senior international debut the following year. He was part of the Colombia squad that participated at the
2018 World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded the hosting rights in l ...
, also representing his nation at the
2019
This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year.
Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
and
2024
The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
edition of the
Copa América
The CONMEBOL Copa América (; known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship), often simply called the Copa America, is the top men's quadrennial association football, football tournament contested among list of men's national ass ...
, helping his country finish as runners-up in the latter.
Club career
Atlético Huila
2013 Apertura and Clausura
Born in
El Cerrito, Valle del Cauca
El Cerrito is a town and municipality located in the Departments of Colombia, Department of Valle del Cauca Department, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. This is one of the 42 municipalities of the department.
The town is known for having within its ju ...
, Lerma relocated to
Neiva, Huila
Neiva () is the capital and most populated city of the Department of Huila, south central Colombia. It is located in the valley of the Magdalena River with a municipal population of 388,299. It is one of the most important cities in southern Co ...
and graduated with
Atlético Huila
Atlético Huila is a professional Colombian association football, football team based in Neiva, that currently plays in the Categoría Primera B. The club was founded in 1990, making it one of the youngest professional football clubs in Colombia. ...
's youth setup. After being promoted to the main squad in January 2013, he made his professional debut on 30 March, starting in a 0–0 home draw against
Millonarios
Millonarios Fútbol Club, known simply as Millonarios, is a Colombian professional football club based in Bogotá, that competes in the Categoría Primera A, top flight of football in Colombia.
It is one of the most successful and iconic clubs i ...
. On 17 April, Lerma provided the assist for Huila's third goal against
Independiente Medellín
Deportivo Independiente Medellín, also known as Independiente Medellín or DIM, is a Colombian professional football club (association football), football club based in Medellín that currently plays in the Categoría Primera A. They play their ...
which allowed his team to win 3–2. On the final match day, Lerma made his second direct contribution of the season, distributing an assist in a 1–1 home draw against
Santa Fe. Lerma appeared in 20 matches during
his first professional season, as his side finished 13th in the Apertura.
For the 2013 Clausura, Lerma's side avoided a relegation play-off, finishing in 14th place with two points more than
Cúcuta Deportivo
Cúcuta Deportivo Fútbol Club S. A. (Spanish ), commonly referred to as Cúcuta Deportivo, is a professional Colombian football club from the city of Cúcuta. Founded on 10 September 1924, it is one of the oldest active football clubs in the co ...
who were relegated after losing their play-off series against second division side
Fortaleza
Fortaleza ( ; ; ) is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeastern Brazil. It is Brazil's 4th largest city—Fortaleza surpassed Salvador, Bahia, Salvador in 2022 census with a population of slightly over 2.4 mi ...
.
2014 Apertura and Clausura
He scored his first professional goals on 6 February 2014, scoring a brace in a 3–1 home success over newly promoted Fortaleza, the first of which was the club's 1,000th. Lerma netted his third goal of the season on 10 April in a 2–0 home win over
Once Caldas
Once Caldas S.A., simply known as Once Caldas, is a professional Colombian Association football, football team based in Manizales, that currently plays in the Categoría Primera A. The club plays its home games at Estadio Palogrande.
The club wa ...
. Although Lerma's goal secured an important victory, Huila failed to qualify for the Apertura's final phase after they lost away at Santa Fe and tied at home with
Uniautónoma in their remaining matches, thus resulting in a 12th place finish.
Lerma suffered the first red card of his career on 2 August 2014, after receiving a second booking in the 45th minute during a Clausura match against Fortaleza. On October 20, Lerma scored a vital goal in a 3–0 win against
Deportivo Pasto
Asociación Deportivo Pasto, also known as Deportivo Pasto, is a Colombian professional football team based in the city of Pasto, that currently plays in the Categoría Primera A. They play their home games at the Estadio Departamental Libertad ...
. Huila ultimately qualified to the 2014 Clausura's final phase, and eventually fell short from disputing the final despite having the same amount of points as group counter-part Santa Fe, who would go on to dispute and win the final against Independiente Medellín.
2015 Apertura
Lerma would maintain his consistency during the 2015 Apertura, guiding Huila to a surprising first place finish in the league table, thus qualifying for the Apertura's quarter-finals against
Deportes Tolima
Club Deportes Tolima S.A., commonly known as Deportes Tolima, or simply as Tolima, is a Colombian professional football club based in Ibagué, Tolima Department, that competes in the Categoría Primera A.
Founded in 1954, the club has won the C ...
. However, Huila was knocked-out by Tolima with Lerma missing out on both games due to injury. Overall, that season Lerma would establish himself as key integrant for Atlético Huila, which attracted the interest of European clubs such as Spanish side
Levante. Despite rumours of a potential loan to Spain, Lerma was included in Huila's squad for the initial part of 2015 Clausura. On 8 August, he scored a goal during his last game for Huila from free-kick in a 2–1 away defeat to Deportes Tolima.
Levante
2015–16 season: Relegation

While disputing the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
with
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
on August 13, Lerma agreed to a one-year loan contract with
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest ...
club
Levante. He made his debut later that month, replacing
Nabil Ghilas in a 0–0 away draw to
Las Palmas
Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean.
It is the capital city of the Canary Islands (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and the m ...
. Lerma incorporated himself quickly to Levante's team dynamics, and scored his first goal in the main category of Spanish football on 7 December 2015, scoring the match's first goal in a 1–1 away draw with
Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona (; "Royal Spanish Sports Club of Barcelona"), commonly known as RCD Espanyol, is a Spanish professional sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The club competes in La Liga, the top tier of Spa ...
. He provided an assist to
Deyverson
Deyverson Brum Silva (born 8 May 1991), simply known as Deyverson, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Fortaleza.
Club career Early career
Born in Santa Margarida, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Deyverson bega ...
on 25 February 2016, which helped Levante win their home duel against Las Palmas 3–2. After appearing in 25 matches for the club, he signed a four-year contract effective 1 July 2016 for a €600,000 transfer fee. He provided a further assist during his debut season for Levante in a match against
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club (; ), commonly known as Athletic Bilbao (), or simply Athletic, is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in the city of Bilbao in the Southern Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain. They are known ...
on 24 April, which ended 2–2. On 2 May, Lerma and his team suffered relegation to the second division after a defeat to
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol (, ''Málaga Football Club''), or simply Málaga, is a club based in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain, who compete in Segunda División, the second tier of the Spanish football league system, Spanish league system, following the ...
which left Levante with no mathematical possibility of avoiding relegation. Overall, Lerma finished the season with 34 appearances, one goal, and two assists across all competitions.
2016–17 season: Promotion to La Liga
Lerma made his
Segunda División
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Segunda División, commonly known as Segunda División or La Liga 2, and officially known as LaLiga HyperMotion for sponsorship reasons, is the men's second professional association football division of the Spa ...
debut on 4 September 2016, coming off the bench in a 1–1 away draw against
Gimnàstic. On 2 October, he received a double-booking during Levante's 3–2 victory over
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D., or simply Real Valladolid (), is a Spanish professional List of football clubs in Spain, football club based in Valladolid, Castile and León that will compete from the 2025–26 season in the .
The club ...
. On 15 October, Lerma guided Levante to an important victory against
Mallorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...
, where he scored Levante's second goal in a 2–1 triumph. He provided the assist for
Roger Martí
Roger Martí Salvador (born 3 January 1991), known as Roger, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Segunda División club Cádiz.
Club career Valencia
Born in Torrent, Valencian Community, Roger graduated from local V ...
's ninth goal of the season during Levante's 0–3 away victory against
CD Mirandés
Club Deportivo Mirandés is a List of football clubs in Spain, Spanish football team based in Miranda de Ebro, Province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Founded on 3 May 1927, the club competes in the Segunda División ...
. On 11 January 2017, Lerma scored his first goal of the year, Levante's second in a 0–2 away win against
UCAM Murcia CF
Universidad Católica de Murcia Club de Fútbol, commonly known as UCAM Murcia or simply UCAM, is a Spanish football club based in Murcia. Founded in 1999 it plays in , holding home games at '' Estadio de La Condomina'', with a capacity of 6,5 ...
. In early April, a torn muscle injury would rule Lerma out for six league games. On 13 May, he made his return as a starter during Levante's 2–1 home win over
Girona
Girona (; ) is the capital city of the Province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 106,476 in 2024, but the p ...
. After a well-fought season, Levante finished first and were crowned as the champions for the
2016–17 Segunda División
The 2016–17 Segunda División season, also known as LaLiga 1, 2, 3 for sponsorship reasons, was the 86th since its establishment. The fixtures were announced on 15 July 2016.
Name
Previously named Liga Adelante, the competition was renamed LaL ...
season, thus achieving direct promotion to
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest ...
.
2017–18 season
On 21 August 2017, he made his return to the top-flight of Spanish football at home against
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, Sociedad Anónima Deportiva, S.A.D., usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF, is a Spanish professional association football, football club based in Villarreal, in the Province of Castellón, Castellón province of easte ...
, where Lerma played the entire match as his team secured a 1–0 victory. Throughout the first half of the season, a muscle injury would ultimately prevent Lerma from disputing nine league matches. On 26 February 2018, Lerma made his return upon recovery against
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié, known as Real Betis () is a Spanish professional association football, football club based in Seville, Andalusia, Spain. It plays in La Liga, the Spanish football league system, top flight of Spanish football. It plays home ...
. On 31 March, Lerma provided an assist for
José Luis Morales' decisive equalizing goal against Girona away from home. On 13 May, Lerma took part in Levante's historic win against
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça (), is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of ...
, which ended 5–4 at Levante's
Estadi Ciutat de València
Estadi Ciutat de València (; ; ) is a football stadium in Valencia and is the home ground of Levante UD. Built in 1969 and holding up to 26,354 spectators, it is the 23rd-largest stadium in Spain and the 4th-largest in the Valencian Community. ...
. Lerma's team eventually finished 15th at the end of the season, thus maintaining a spot in Spain's top flight.
AFC Bournemouth
2018–19 season
On 7 August 2018, Lerma joined
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club
AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth ( ) is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. ...
for a club record transfer fee of €30 million. On 1 September, he made his debut for Bournemouth playing 88 minutes in a 2–0 loss against
Chelsea. On 1 October during a league match against
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick
* Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario
* Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
, Lerma was fouled in the penalty area which resulted in a penalty being award to Bournemouth.
Junior Stanislas successfully converted the decisive penalty which helped Bournemouth win the match 2–1. Lerma scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat against
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
on 10 November 2018. He scored on the final day of his first season at the club in a 5–3 defeat away to Crystal Palace. Lerma established himself as a fan favourite player, due to his tough-tackling, no-nonsense style of play, as well as an important part of the Bournemouth team during his first season in the Premier League; making a total of 32 appearances across all competitions and scoring two goals in the league. Conclusively, Bournemouth would end the Premier League season in 13th place.
2019–20 season: Relegation to the Championship
On 14 December 2019, Lerma provided a crucial assist for
Dan Gosling
Daniel Gosling (born 1 February 1990) is an English former professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Westfield. He is currently Watford Under-21s Assistant Coach, a post he has held since 2024.
Gosling is a versatile player, having ...
's sole goal to help Bournemouth beat Chelsea 0–1 at
Stamford Bridge Stamford Bridge may refer to:
* Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, a village in England
** Battle of Stamford Bridge, 25 September 1066
* Stamford Bridge (bridge), a bridge in the village of Stamford Bridge
* Stamford Bridge (stadium), in ...
. On 29 February 2020, he scored his third goal for the club in a 2–2 home draw against Chelsea, meeting a
Ryan Fraser
Ryan Fraser (born 24 February 1994) is a Scottish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Winger (association football), left winger for club Southampton F.C., Southampton and the Scotland national football team, Scotland n ...
corner with his head to make the score 1–1. Lerma added his second assist of the season against
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
at
Anfield
Anfield is a Association football, football stadium in the area of Anfield (suburb), Anfield, Liverpool, England, which has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since its formation in 1892. The stadium has a seating capacity of 61,276, making it the ...
, aiding
Callum Wilson
Callum Eddie Graham Wilson (born 27 February 1992) is an English professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Striker (association football), striker for Premier League club Newcastle United F.C., Newcastle United and the Englan ...
to lead 0–1 in the ninth minute. Despite the team's efforts, Bournemouth would finish losing 2–1, thus pushing the team down to 18th place. Lerma's side would ultimately suffer relegation to the Championship at the end of the season after finishing in 19th place.
2020–21 season
On the opening match-day, Lerma scored Bournemouth's second to help his side win 3–2 against
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...
. He made another notable contribution on 27 September 2020, providing
Arnaut Danjuma
Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld (born 31 January 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Villarreal. Born in Nigeria, he played for the Netherlands national team, most recently in 2022.
After making one substitute ...
with an important assist to help win the match 1–0 against
Norwich City
Norwich City Football Club is a professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was founded in 1902. Since 1935, Norwich have played their h ...
. For the following fixture, Lerma scored Bournemouth's first against
Coventry City
Coventry City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Coventry, West Midlands. The club plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club is nicknamed The Sky Blues after the sky blue colou ...
which ended in a 1–3 away win. In December, Lerma was charged with a biting offence relating to an act of violent conduct during a game against
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system.
Formed in 1867 as an off ...
on 3 November 2020. On 12 December, Lerma provided a further assist for
Dominic Solanke
Dominic Ayodele Solanke-Mitchell (born 14 September 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team.
Solanke started his career with Chelsea, making his first-team ...
's 8th league goal, during Bournemouth's 5–0 thrashing over
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. They compete in , the third tier of English football league system, English football.
Huddersfield Town we ...
. He received his first red card as a Bournemouth player for violent conduct on 16 January 2021, during Bournemouth's eventual 0–1 loss at home against
Luton Town
Luton Town Football Club is a professional association football, football club from Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The club currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. Nicknamed "The Hatters", L ...
. On 2 April, Lerma completed his third goal of season in Bournemouth's 3–1 win against
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ), colloquially known as Boro, is a port town in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Lying to the south of the River Tees, Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside Built up area, built-up area and the Tees Va ...
. Ultimately, Bournemouth finished the season in fifth, therefore qualifying to the Championship play-offs against
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in West (London sub region), West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the River Thames, Thames, west of Charing Cross.
Its economy has dive ...
. Despite winning the first leg 1–0, Bournemouth would suffer a 3–1 away defeat in the second leg, thus failing to gain promotion to the Premier League.
2021–22 season: Promotion to the Premier League
On 28 August 2021, Lerma started his first game of the season in a goal less draw away at
Hull City
Hull City Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. They compete in the , the second level of the English football league system. They play their home ...
. Lerma would be a fundamental component for Bournemouth's team dynamic during their 15-game unbeaten run. On 21 November, Lerma made his first assist of the season, providing team-mate Solanke's 14th of the season during Bournemouth's 3–2 away defeat against
Derby County
Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club in Derby, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system.
One of the 12 founder members of the English Football ...
. On 27 November, Lerma received a straight red card during Bournemouth's 2–2 draw against Coventry City. He missed out on three league games as a result. He suffered his second red card of the season during his side's 3–1 win against
Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...
. Consequently, Lerma was suspended for four league matches. On 12 March, Lerma made his return from suspension against Derby County, with his team winning 2–0. Lerma effectively partnered up with Solanke once more on 15 March, when he provided an assist to help Solanke net his 22nd goal of the season. The following match-day, Lerma netted his first goal of the season in a 3–0 away victory against
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. They compete in , the third tier of English football league system, English football.
Huddersfield Town we ...
. On 18 April, Lerma once again provided an assist for Solanke, this time against Coventry which ended in a 0–3 away win. Following Bournemouth's impressive season, the team managed to secure a second-place league finish and were therefore promoted back to the Premier League after two seasons.
2022–23 season: Final season and departure
On 6 August 2022, Lerma scored Bournemouth's first goal of the season during Premier League opening match-day as his team went on to defeat
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The team have p ...
2–0. Consequently, Lerma's goal became the fastest scored by a newly promoted side at one minute and 56 seconds. On October 15, Lerma scored his second goal of the season in a 2–2 draw at
Fulham
Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...
. He scored his third Premier League goal of the season on 25 February 2023, Bournemouth's sole goal in a 1–4 home defeat to
Manchester City
Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
. On 30 April, he scored two goals in four first half minutes of a 4–1 home win against
Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system.
Leeds United have won the League Championship th ...
. On 31 May, it was announced that Lerma would leave Bournemouth after five years at the club.
Crystal Palace
On 8 June 2023, fellow Premier League side
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace may refer to:
Places Canada
* Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick
* Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario
* Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
announced they had agreed personal terms with Lerma, and that he would join the club from 1 July. He made his debut for the club on 12 August, a 1–0 away win over
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history ...
.
On 17 May 2025, Lerma played in the
2025 FA Cup final
The 2025 FA Cup final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on 17 May 2025 between Crystal Palace and Manchester City that determined the winners of the 2024–25 FA Cup. It was the 144th final of English football's ...
, coming on as a substitute for
Marc Guehi Marc or MARC may refer to:
People
* Marc (given name), people with the first name
* Marc (surname), people with the family name
Acronyms
* MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging,
* MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system ...
in the second half, where Lerma won the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
as Crystal Palace beat
Manchester City
Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
1–0 for Crystal Palace's first major trophy.
International career

On 14 July 2016, Lerma was called up by Colombia's Olympic manager
Carlos Restrepo to compete at the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
. In total, he appeared in three out of four matches as Colombia suffered elimination in the quarter-finals at the hands of the eventual gold-medalists
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
.
Lerma made his debut for
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
on 10 November 2017, coming on late for
Stefan Medina
John Stefan Medina Ramírez (born 14 June 1992) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for Liga MX club Monterrey and the Colombia national team.
Initially, Medina debuted for Atlético Nacional as a centre-back. As time progressed, ...
in a 1–2 defeat to
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
.
In June 2018, he was named in
José Pékerman's final
23-man squad for the
2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
in Russia. He made his World Cup debut as a starter in Colombia's opening group-stage match against
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, where Colombia lost 1–2 with
Carlos Sánchez receiving a red card in the third minute of the match for a suspected handball. Lerma would go on to dispute all of Colombia's remaining matches as his country exited in the round of 16 after losing to
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
on penalties.
On 30 May 2019, Lerma was selected by manager
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal de Queiroz (; born 1 March 1953) is a Portuguese football manager. He has served as the manager of his native Portugal's national team, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Iran, Colombia, Egypt and Qatar, leading ...
to represent Colombia at the
2019 Copa América
The 2019 Copa América was the 46th edition of the Copa América, the international men's association football championship organized by South America's football ruling body CONMEBOL. It was held in Brazil and took place between 14 June and 7 Ju ...
. He made his tournament debut in Colombia's group-stage win against
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, coming off the bench for
Juan Cuadrado
Juan Guillermo Cuadrado Bello (born 26 May 1988) is a Colombian professional Association football, footballer who plays for club Atalanta BC, Atalanta and the Colombia national football team, Colombia national team. He usually plays on the righ ...
and providing a 86th minute assist to
Duván Zapata for Colombia's second goal which sealed a 2–0 victory. He started in Colombia's final group-stage match where Colombia beat
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
1–0 to top their group with a perfect win rate and no goals conceded. For Colombia's quarter-final match against
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, Lerma was an unused substitute; Colombia was eventually knocked out of the tournament after losing 4–5 on penalties.
On 13 October 2020, Lerma scored his first international goal in a
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
The 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification was the FIFA World Cup qualification, qualifying process which decided the 31 teams that would join hosts Qatar national football team, Qatar, who received an automatic spot, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Par ...
fixture over
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, which ended 2–2.
For the
2021 Copa América
The 2021 Copa América was the 47th edition of the Copa América, the international men's association football, football championship organised by South America's football ruling body CONMEBOL. The tournament took place in Brazil from 13 June to ...
, Lerma was excluded from Colombia's final squad by the newly appointed manager
Reinaldo Rueda
Reinaldo Rueda Rivera (born 16 April 1957) is a Colombian football coach who currently serves as a manager for the Honduras national team.
When he was the coach of the Colombia U-20 team, they finished 3rd at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Cham ...
due to unspecified personal circumstances. Additionally, some theories suggested that Rueda was dissatisfied with Lerma's performance in the days leading up to the announcement. This dissatisfaction was reportedly influenced by Lerma's performance during Colombia's World Cup qualifying match against
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, where he was substituted in the 30th minute after Colombia conceded two goals in just eight minutes. Despite Colombia recovering to tie the match 2–2, Lerma's previous appearances, including Colombia's 0–3 home defeat to
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
and their 6–1 away loss to
Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
—which led to Carlos Queiroz's dismissal—may have contributed to internal conflicts within the squad. This discord could have impacted Lerma's position on Rueda's final list, which also excluded key players such as
James Rodríguez
James David Rodríguez Rubio (born 12 July 1991) is a Colombian professional Association football, footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or Winger (association football), winger for Liga MX club Club León, León and Captain (associ ...
and
Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao García Zárate (born 10 February 1986) is a Colombian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a striker (association football), striker for Categoría Primera A club Millonarios F.C., Millonarios. Nicknamed "El ...
. In response to the speculation, the
Colombian Football Federation
The Colombian Football Federation () is the governing body of association football, football in Colombia. The organization was founded in 1924, and has been affiliated with FIFA since 1936. It is a member of CONMEBOL and in charge of the Colombi ...
issued a statement denying any rumors regarding Lerma's exclusion and confirmed that his absence from the final list was due to an unnamed personal situation that has yet to be disclosed.
Lerma made his return to the Colombian national team on 7 October 2021, following a call-up from manager Reinaldo Rueda for the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers against Uruguay and
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. He came on as a second-half substitute in the 0–0 draw away at Uruguay.
On 14 June 2024, Lerma was called up into 26-man
squad
In military terminology, a squad is among the smallest of Military organization, military organizations and is led by a non-commissioned officer. NATO and United States, U.S. doctrine define a squad as an organization "larger than a fireteam, ...
for
2024 Copa América
The 2024 Copa América was the 48th edition of the Copa América, the quadrennial international men's association football, soccer championship organized by South America's football ruling body CONMEBOL. The tournament was held in the United Sta ...
. He scored the winner in a 2–1 group stage win against Paraguay, and the sole goal in the semi-final against Uruguay. He started the
2024 Copa América final
The 2024 Copa América final was an international Association football, soccer match to determine the winners of the CONMEBOL 2024 Copa América. The match was played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 14, 2024. Kickoff was ...
, Colombia's first since 2001, though they lost to Argentina.
Career statistics
Club
International
''Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.''
Honours
Levante UD
*
Segunda division:
2016-17
AFC Bournemouth
*
EFL Championship
The English Football League Championship, known simply as the Championship and for sponsorship purposes as Sky Bet Championship, is a professional association football league in England and Wales. Contested by 24 clubs, it is the highest divi ...
second-place promotion:
2021–22
Crystal Palace
*
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
:
2024–25
References
External links
Profileat the Crystal Palace F.C. website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lerma, Jefferson
1994 births
Living people
Footballers from Valle del Cauca Department
Colombian men's footballers
Colombia men's international footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Atlético Huila footballers
Levante UD footballers
AFC Bournemouth players
Crystal Palace F.C. players
Categoría Primera A players
La Liga players
Segunda División players
Premier League players
English Football League players
2018 FIFA World Cup players
2019 Copa América players
2024 Copa América players
Olympic footballers for Colombia
Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Colombian expatriate men's footballers
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in England
Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
Expatriate men's footballers in England
21st-century Colombian sportsmen