Dortmund without Champions League?
These BVB stars could hardly be kept anymore
17.02.2025 – 1:38 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
The free case at BVB knows no end. The Borussia actually gambles international business if this would have great financial consequences. And with it also personnel.
New coach, old suffering: Borussia Dortmund also crashes in the Bundesliga under Şahin successor Niko Kovač, and, as on Saturday, does hardly be explained at the bottom of the table in Bochum.
BVB has already received nine defeats in the previous 22 games. Only the last six teams in the table lost more often. For comparison: Throughout the past season, in which BVB also disappointed and only fifth, there were only seven bankruptcies.
Now the situation is many times more precarious. The finalist of the past Champions League bumps around in eleventh place. The international places are getting further away – and that could become a big problem.
If BVB misses international business, it will be forced to sell game in summer and will face an involuntary sale of its stars. And after that it looks like it. The gap to royal class rank four is already eight points. Even sixth place, which would now be entitled to participate in the Conference League playoffs, is already six points away.
The squad laid out on the income of the Champions League would no longer be possible. This year, BVB has taken a whopping 78.6 million euros in the league of the newly structured Champions League. Further money is added through the likelihood of qualifications for the quarter -finals. After the 3-0 away win at Sporting Lisbon, nothing should go wrong in the second leg on Wednesday (6.45 p.m. in the T-Online Live ticker).
All of these income would be lost in the coming season if the Westphalia did not start a large -scale catch -up. Because: Even the descent into the “second -class” Europa League would tear a large financial hole. Europa League Derocular Finalist Eintracht Frankfurt earned around 50 million euros less in the leagueapse this season than BVB one class. Not to mention the Conference League.
Missing the Champions League would be a fiasco for the club that sees itself in Germany as a second lighthouse alongside record champions Bayern Munich. In summer it would not only result in drastic financial, but also personnel consequences.
Dortmund’s bosses Lars Ricken and Sebastian Kehl would be forced to submit some top performers. In contrast to previous millions of transfers like Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham or Jadon Sancho, the negotiation position would deteriorate significantly this time. Because: The counter -game knew that BVB can no longer sell, but has to sell to catch the lost premiums from the fields of UEFA.
The most profitable candidate for sales would be undoubtedly Jamie Gitten, who is celebrating his breakthrough this season. The only 20-year-old Englishman comes to eleven goals and five assists in all competitions. He is the professional with the currently highest market value in the squad (50 million euros).
Other stars that could no longer be kept – also because they want to continue to play Champions League – would be goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and national defender Nico Schlotterbeck, whose market values are each estimated at 40 million euros each.
Karim Adeyemi’s departure also seems likely. The fastest player in the BVB squad (market value: EUR 35 million) was short of a move to Naples in winter.
In addition, Dortmund will endeavor to either get rid of his top earner Niklas Süle, who goes to his last contract year, or to significantly reduce his salary. The same applies to Captain Emre Can and Vice Julian Brandt. However, it should be difficult to find buyers for the trio, given the disappointing performance on the one hand and the high salaries on the other.
In any case, BVB is facing a change again. Due to the sporting failure, it could be far more radical this time than in previous years.