Borussia Dortmund's campaign so far has been disappointing. 

Currently sat in sixth place in the Bundesliga after eight defeats in their first 20 games of the season, there's a very real prospect that they could miss out on the Champions League next season. 

Not only would that represent a hammerblow to their European prestige, it would also have very real financial implications. 

Indeed, reports in Germany have now emerged shining a light on just how serious Dortmund's economic plight is due to the ongoing world situation. 

WAZ claim Dortmund are "in crisis" and as a result, they are said to have drawn up a list of eight players they could be forced to sell to raise funds. 

They include star duo Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland, as well as teenager Jude Bellingham, who was signed from Birmingham last year. 

Axel Witsel, Manuel Akanji, Raphael Guerreiro, Giovanni Reyna and Mahmoud Dahoud are the other five men seen as dispensable if necessary. 

Just imagine Dortmund without a number of those names - it would be unthinkable. 

Unfortunately, sympathy would likely be limited among the vultures of European football. 

Manchester United have long been targeting Sancho and a deal only fell through last summer because they were so far apart from Dortmund's £100m+ valuation, per Sky Sports. 

Haaland, meanwhile, has been linked with Manchester City in recent weeks, as they continue to hunt for a long-term successor to Sergio Aguero. 

Those would be the two biggest losses if Dortmund were forced to cash in, but make no mistake, they would be significantly weaker without the likes of Guerreiro, Bellingham and Witsel too. 

It's a sad reality that even some of Europe's elite clubs are having to juggle whether they secure themselves financially, or continue to enjoy their status at the top table. 

The summer transfer window could see many chairmen placed in the same predicament.