Celtic have completed the signing of German midfielder Mika Baur from Paderborn, with the Scottish champions listing the fee as undisclosed. The 22-year-old has put pen to paper on a deal the club describes as a four-year contract with the option of a further year, joining a Celtic squad rebuilding for the season ahead.
How much did Celtic pay for Baur?
While Celtic's official statement gives no figure, a report from footballtransfers.com puts the fee at around €8m, describing it as a record sale for Paderborn. The same report says Baur is set to sign for five years, running until 2031, a longer term than the four-plus-one arrangement stated by Celtic, and that he was travelling to Glasgow for a medical as the finishing details of the move were completed.
What did Baur achieve at Paderborn?
Baur played a central role in Paderborn's return to the Bundesliga after a six-year absence, finishing third in the second tier last season before winning promotion via the play-offs against Wolfsburg. He made 36 appearances across the campaign, scoring four goals and setting up six more. His form built on a loan spell at Dynamo Dresden the previous season, where he helped the club win promotion to Bundesliga 2.
Why did Baur choose Celtic over a Bundesliga move?
The switch to Scotland is notable given Baur had the chance to play in Germany's top flight for the first time, either by staying at Paderborn or joining another Bundesliga side. He originally arrived at Paderborn two years ago from Freiburg, where he had been playing for the club's second team; according to a report from Yahoo Sports, that transfer was seen at the time as a low-cost move before his value rose sharply following his breakout season. Baur has credited his loan spell at Dynamo Dresden, guidance from a mindset coach and the arrival of head coach Ralf Kettemann for his development, having started out as a winger and attacking midfielder before being redeployed as a deep-lying playmaker. Observers have compared his compact, two-footed playing style to that of Rangers' Nicolas Raskin.
What is Baur's football background?
Baur comes from a sporting family, though he chose a different path to his father, Markus Baur, a former handball international who won Olympic silver with Germany in 2004 and world championship gold in 2007. The younger Baur has represented Germany at every youth level up to under-21 and made his under-21 debut earlier in 2026, a step that, per footballtransfers.com, helped establish him as one of Paderborn's most valuable players.
How does this fit into Celtic's summer transfer activity?
Baur becomes Celtic's third summer signing, following the arrivals of forwards Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh, according to footballtransfers.com. Celtic's pursuit of Duran was reported earlier in the window, when the club agreed to pay a fee for the Qarabag forward. Interest in Baur himself had also surfaced in earlier transfer coverage, which noted that Celtic were pursuing the midfielder while also facing competition for defender Alistair Johnston and midfielder Arne Engels.
What happens next?
According to footballtransfers.com, Baur missed Paderborn training on a Wednesday as the move was being finalised and is expected to undergo a medical in Glasgow in the coming hours before the transfer is formally completed.
Key Facts
- Mika Baur, 22, joins Celtic from Paderborn on an undisclosed fee, reported by footballtransfers.com at around €8m.
- Celtic list the deal as a four-year contract with a one-year option; footballtransfers.com reports a five-year deal until 2031.
- Baur made 36 appearances for Paderborn last season, scoring four goals and providing six assists, including in their play-off win over Wolfsburg.
- He is the son of former handball international Markus Baur, an Olympic silver and world championship gold medallist with Germany.
- Baur is Celtic's third summer signing after forwards Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh.
