Borussia Dortmund XI had they retained their best players
Borussia Dortmund are one of the top clubs on the continent. Many world-class players have turned up for them over the years. However, most do not stay at the club for long enough.
That has a lot to do with BvB's shrewd transfer policy. The Bundesliga giants have a brilliant network of scouts strewn across the continent who identify up-and-coming players. BvB snap them up and groom these raw diamonds into world-class players.
After these players churn out eye-turning performances, big clubs often snap them up. Dortmund often make significant profits from their departures. However, BvB reinvest that money into unearthing more raw diamonds, and the self-sustaining cycle repeats itself.
Borussia Dortmund sure know how to make profit 🤑 https://t.co/ZV4pOtJ4VP
That would lead one to wonder: what if Dortmund never let go of most of these precocious talents? They might well have successfully punctuated Bayern Munich's decade-long Bundesliga dominance and made a bigger splash in Europe.
Nevertheless, here is a look at how BvB would have looked like had they retained most of these players. A 4-4-2 formation has been considered for this hypothetical XI. Some players in this XI are still at the club, while others moved on to pastures anew.
Note: All stats are as per transfermarkt unless mentioned otherwise.
# Goalkeeper - Gregor Kobel (€35 million)
Gregor Kobel arrived at Borussia Dortmund this summer from VfB Stuttgart. The Swiss custodian has kept five clean sheets across competitions for his new club.
The former Hoffenheim and Augsburg goalkeeper has made a significant step up, becoming the no.1 at a bigger club in just a few months. His exploits have helped Dortmund move second in the Bundesliga standings; however, BvB were recently knocked out of the Champions League.
🧤 𝗚regor 𝗞obel 🧤 https://t.co/bpMtiBWr1c
Talking about his start to life at BvB and his equation with his compatriots Roman Burki and Marwin Hitz, Kobel said:
"It is a special situation that the three of us are Swiss, of course. And of course not easy. But we all work together and try to push each other. I'm now in a top 10 club in the world of football. But the biggest adjustment is of course the Champions League, the triple load, a game every three days, a lot more travel."
# Left-back - Raphael Guerreiro (€40 million)
Raphael Guerreiro is one of the best goalscoring full-backs in the game at the moment.
The Dortmund left-back arrived in Dortmund in the summer of 2016. He has contributed 65 goals (32 goals, 33 assists) in over 170 games across competitions. Last season, he enjoyed a career-best campaign, racking up six goals and 11 assists.
GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLL!!!! Raphael Guerreiro makes it 3-3 #B04BVB https://t.co/BzAXRKz55n
Thanks to his exploits, BvB finished third in the Bundesliga, won the DFB Pokal and made the Champions League quarter-finals. Guerreiro has had four goal contributions (three goals and an assist) - all in the Bundesliga - this campaign.
# Centre-back - Antonio Rudiger (€35 million)
Antonio Rudiger is widely regarded as one of the top centre-backs in the game at the moment.
Proficient at both ends, the former Borussia Dortmund player played a key role in Chelsea's unlikely Champions League triumph last season. Interestingly, the Germany international started out in Dortmund as a teenager more than a decade ago.
However, he didn't feature for the senior team before he moved on to Stuttgart.
10 years ago ... man this is crazy 😁👍🏾 #Hustle #AlwaysBelieve #howtimeflies #throwback @BVB https://t.co/xbsHKdQNIo
The 28-year-old has been a key player at Chelsea since arriving at the club in the summer of 2017. With Rudiger yet to agree a contract extension at Stamford Bridge, it remains to be seen where he lands up next summer.
# Centre-back - Mats Hummels (€12 million)
Mats Hummels is one of the game's premier goalscoring centre-backs. At 32, he may not be what he was when he first started out at Borussia Dortmund in 2007. However, Hummels more than makes up for that with his experience, positional awareness and ability at both ends.
The Germany international is one of a handful of players to win multiple Bundesliga titles with multiple teams. Recently, the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner became only the sixth BvB player to rack up 300 Bundesliga appearances for the club.
With today's start, Mats Hummels will become one of just six Borussia Dortmund players to appear in 300 Bundesliga matches with the club 🏅
Congratulations, Mats! 👏 https://t.co/0fgfQ3JC91
Hummels scored six times across competitions last season, but has netted just once this campaign.
# Right-back - Achraf Hakimi (€70 million)
Well, Achraf Hakimi was never technically a Borussia Dortmund player, as he was only on loan at BvB from Real Madrid.
Nevertheless, the young right-back lit up Stadion Iduna Park during his two-year stint. Although the Bundesliga title eluded him, Hakimi racked up 12 goals and 17 assists for BvB.
However, Dortmund couldn't sign him at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, as Madrid's asking price for the player was too high.
💪 Hakimi. ACHRAF HAKIMI! 🔥 https://t.co/Ri36kN8gs2
Now at PSG, the 23-year-old is on his way to winning successive league titles in two different countries; he won Serie A with Inter Milan last season.