Celtic Sign German Midfielder Mika Baur for £4.5 Million
Celtic have moved to strengthen their midfield for the long haul, sealing a deal for highly rated German Under-21 international Mika Baur in a transfer worth £4.5 million, potentially rising to £6.8m with add-ons.
The 22-year-old arrives from newly promoted Bundesliga side Paderborn on a four-year contract, with an option for a further year, as the Scottish champions continue to build a younger core around their title-winning squad.
From Paderborn hero to Parkhead stage
Baur played a central role in Paderborn’s promotion push last season, emerging as one of the standout figures in their climb to the Bundesliga. Now he swaps that success story for the demands and expectation that come with pulling on a Celtic shirt.
He has not come in blind. Before committing, the midfielder picked up the phone to a familiar face.
Baur shares an agency with former Celtic winger Nicolas Kühn and made sure to tap into his experience of life in Glasgow. The conversation, he says, removed any lingering doubt.
"I'm in the same agency as Nicolas Kuhn so I called him to ask a couple of questions and he was so positive," Baur told Celtic’s in-house channel. "He said, if you have the chance, just do it. He couldn't explain it because, he said, you have to feel it, but he told me it was incredible. And after the call with him, I was sure."
By then, the decision felt obvious.
"It's absolutely the right move," Baur said. "It's a great club and I've heard incredible things about the fans. Celtic are the champions. I want to win something, and I think I'm in the right place for it."
Ready-made for the Champions League push
Timing matters. Baur’s arrival has been completed in time for Celtic’s UEFA Champions League playoff against Austrian champions LASK, and the German is desperate to taste the noise and intensity of Celtic Park on a European night.
One game in particular has already left its mark on him.
"I remember a Champions League night against Leipzig," he recalled. "I watched it on TV, on the couch at home, and you could feel it and see it, the emotions in the stadium. That's what I'm here for."
"That's why everyone is playing football. You want to play in big stadiums in front of a big crowd. It's different, but I think I'm ready for it. So I'm looking forward to it."
The midfielder insists he arrives in Glasgow in peak condition.
"I've had a good pre-season with good matches and tough training sessions, everything. So I'm in good shape and I'm ready to go."
A playmaker with personality
Supporters wondering what kind of footballer Celtic have signed did not have to wait long for an answer. Baur sees himself as the man who wants the ball when it matters.
"I love to have the ball at my feet, always be there and not be scared to take it," he said. "I think I'm a player who is a very confident, a good technical player and I always leave my heart on the field."
"Everyone can expect that."
A promoted star from Germany, a Champions League stage in Glasgow, and a self-described playmaker who wants responsibility: Baur has chosen his next step boldly. Now he has to live up to the noise he once watched through a television screen.
