'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Borussia Dortmund's rise to European prominence in recent times has largely been down to the club's highly successful transfer strategy that has seen them scout some of the most talented players from across the globe.
However, one reason why Borussia Dortmund haven't been able to challenge for trophies on a consistent basis is their inability to hold on to these talents, who end up moving to bigger clubs.
Borussia Dortmund XI if they hadn't sold their best players
There has been an exodus of many great players from the Westfalonstadion over the years, who then went on to accomplish tremendous success elsewhere. Here, we club the best XI of such players in a 4-1-3-2 formation.
Let us get started.
Goalkeeper: Mitchell Langerak (Nagoya Grampus)
Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeping departures have been nowhere near as painful as that of their outfield players, partly because Roman Weidenfeller was the undisputed choice in goal in the last decade before he was succeeded by Roman Burki, who's now one of the best custodians in the Bundesliga.
That leaves us with Mitchell Langerak, the lanky Australian, who showed great promise in his bit-part role but could never establish himself as the first-choice under Jurgen Klopp.
Despite being named in almost every matchday squad, Mitchell Langerak only appeared on the field in a few Cup games or when Weidenfeller was out injured.
Signed from A-League side Melbourne Victory, Langerak made only 35 appearances for Borussia Dortmund between 2010 and 2015, with 19 of them coming in the top-flight. Yet, he managed to keep 13 clean sheets overall, including one against Bayern Munich in the 2014 DFL Supercup and another against Marseille in the Champions League.
After leaving the Signal Iduna Park, Langerak joined VfB Stuttgart, where he enjoyed moderate success. The player now plies his trade with Nagoya Grampus in Japan's top division.
Right-back: Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund)
The marauding Moroccan was only a loan signing from Real Madrid; so, technically speaking, Borussia Dortmund never 'sold' Achraf Hakimi.
Dortmund couldn't meet Madrid's asking price to make Hakimi's move permanent, and the player went on to join Inter Milan in the summer. However, his impact in the two years he spent at the Westfalenstadion was such that it was impossible to leave him out of this lineup.
Dynamic, powerful and ingenious, Hakimi established himself as one of the best full-backs in Europe, with his creative ability adding a new dimension to Borussia Dortmund's attack. He made 17 assists and also scored 12 times in all competitions.
Centre-back: Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Arsenal)
After struggling to find a permanent address for several years, the Greek defender found his true home at the Westfalonstadion in 2013. For the next five years, he would be a constant presence at the heart of Borussia Dortmund's backline, making 198 appearances and helping his side to three titles.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos garnered acclaim for his leadership qualities and his penchant to win the ball without making a mistake. His defensive work-rate was phenomenal.
Arsenal saw him as the solution to their defensive woes, snapping him up for £17.6 million in 2018. Injuries aside, he has proved to be a bargain buy.
Centre-back: Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach)
While at Borussia Dortmund, Matthias Ginter was nowhere near the starry centre-back that he is today at Monchengladbach, but that's more down to his mismanagement by the club.
Thomas Tuchel didn't entertain him too much, mostly calling him off the bench during the player's first two years at the club and also constantly moving him around on the pitch.
Despite making 42 appearances in his third and final season at the Westfalonstadion, Ginter moved to Gladbach for €17 million in 2017. He has since become a leader at the back with his organisational skills and versatility while also making his mark with Germany's national side too.
Left-back: Eric Durm (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Another position in this lineup that has a paucity of good options. We've opted to go with the only notable left-back sold by Borussia Dortmund recently: Eric Durm. The player now plies his trade with Dortmund's Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt after a forgetful spell in the Premier League with Huddersfield in the 2018-19 season.
Durm was originally a striker, but Jurgen Klopp turned him into a full-back upon his arrival from Mainz, but the player failed to displace Marcel Schmelzer from the Borussia Dortmund starting XI and struggled for regular football.
Despite several injury issues plaguing him during his stint with the club, Durm made 97 appearances in four seasons, scoring twice and laying 11 assists.
Central midfielder: Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City)
Originally deployed as a wide midfielder, Ilkay Gundogan struggled in that role before then-Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp moved him centrally, a move that unlocked the player's true potential. The German then seamlessly fit into Borussia Dortmund's explosive playing style by combining his creativity and passing skills with his defensive prowess to devastating effect.
In 157 games for Borussia Dortmund, Ilkay Gundogan scored 15 times and made 20 assists before moving to Manchester City in 2016 for £20 million. After an injury-riddled first year at City, Gundogan has grown into a vital cog in Pep Guardiola's team.
Right winger: Ousmane Dembele (FC Barcelona)
Unlike many other players on this list, Ousmane Dembele lasted just one season in the North-Rhine Westphalia, but that was enough for the player to attract interest from mighty Barcelona. Dembele joined the Blaugrana on a £138 million transfer in 2017, making the Frenchman one of the five most expensive players of all time.
He scored ten goals and made 20 assists in 49 games for Borussia Dortmund, helping the Yellow and Blacks to the DFB Pokal title. Dembele also featured in the Bundesliga team of the season for his top-drawer performances. Unfortunately, the 23-year old is yet to replicate those heroics with the Catalans, given his series of injuries.
Attacking midfielder: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (AS Roma)
After Mario Gotze joined Bayern Munich in 2013, Borussia Dortmund signed the then-unknown Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk for €23 million. But just like many other players on this list, he too proved to be a bang for the buck, scoring 41 goals and making another 49 assists from 140 appearances for Borussia Dortmund.
Even though Mkhitaryan did not win any major trophies at Dortmund, his creative ability, accurate passing and set-piece prowess won him rich superlatives. After three successful years at the Bundesliga club, the Armenian star moved to the Premier League in 2016 but struggled during his spells with Manchester United and Arsenal.
Mkhitaryan is now trying to resurrect his career at AS Roma, whom he joined permanently this year after an impressive loan spell in 2019-20.
Left winger: Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)
Christian Pulisic's numbers weren't as extraordinary as that of many of the other players in this list, but his talent sure was.
After joining Borussia Dortmund's youth side in 2015 when he was only 16 years old, the American starlet quickly came through the ranks after a series of promising displays. He soon made his senior debut for the club, in the process, becoming the then youngest player to do so for Borussia Dortmund.
Despite having an injury-riddled stint at the club, Pulisic was always superb when on the field, garnering attention for his creative instincts and prolific dribbling skills. After scoring 19 goals and providing 26 assists from 127 appearances, he joined Chelsea last year, where the US international has continued his development into a world-class winger.
Striker: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Contrary to the peerless finisher and record-breaker that he is today, Robert Lewandowski had humble beginnings at Borussia Dortmund. He joined the club in 2010 as an up-and-coming 22-year old after promising displays back home in Poland with Lech Poznan.
Only a back-up to Lucas Barrios in his first season at Borussia Dortmund, the Pole soon established himself as the number one choice up front for the club the next season.
By the summer of 2014, Lewandowski was one of the most sought-after forwards in world football, having struck 103 times from 187 games for Der BVB while guiding them to four trophies along the way.
Bayern Munich came knocking that summer, and Lewandowski joined the Bundesliga champions on a free transfer. Lewandowski hasn't looked back since then.
Striker: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came to the Westfalonstadion in 2013 and originally played out on the wings to accommodate Robert Lewandowski until the Polish star's departure to Bayern Munich the next year.
Soon, he became the first-choice target man for Die Borussen as he netted goals left, right and centre.
Arsenal snapped him up in January 2018 for a staggering £56 million. By that time, time, the Gabonese had struck 141 goals from 213 games for BVB, picking up one Golden Boot as well as the Bundesliga Player of the Year award to well and truly cement his place among the world's most lethal strikers.
