Celtic Signs Midfielder Mika Baur for £6.8m
Celtic have moved again in the market, sealing their fourth signing of the summer with the arrival of midfielder Mika Baur on a four-year deal, with an option for a fifth.
The 22-year-old joins from Paderborn in a move worth around £6.8m after playing a central role in the German club’s promotion to the Bundesliga. He hit four goals and supplied five assists in 33 league games last season and finished the campaign as Paderborn’s player of the year.
Transfer fee: £6.8m (£4.5m initial, £2.3m in add-ons)
Sky Sports News understand Celtic will pay an initial £4.5m, with a further £2.3m tied up in add-ons. Much of that bonus package is linked to success in Europe, mirroring the structure of the deals for fellow summer recruits Camilo Duran, Kasper Høgh and Haissem Hassan. If Celtic reach the league phase of the Champions League, the total outlay on Baur will climb.
That European push is already looming. Celtic face LASK Linz in their Champions League play-off next week, and Baur, who came through the Freiburg academy before moving to Paderborn in 2024, can now be registered for the squad.
Player's Perspective
For the player, the move felt straightforward.
"It's absolutely the right move," Baur said after signing. "It's a great club and I've heard incredible things about the fans.
"I'm in the same agency as Nicolas Kuhn so I called him to ask a couple of questions and he was so positive. He said, if you have the chance, just do it.
"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."
Manager's Insight
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill made it clear why the club pushed so hard to get the deal done.
"I am delighted that we have been able to bring Mika to Celtic," he said. "He is a player with some excellent attributes, great technical ability, he will be important in linking our play and he has real versatility too.
"Having spoken to Mika, I can see the appetite he has for the challenges here at Celtic and I am sure he will be another great addition to the squad.
"Mika's club in Germany were very keen to keep him, which I fully understand, as he played such an important role in their Bundesliga promotion, but I am really pleased with the perseverance and commitment we have shown to secure his signing."
A key figure in one promotion campaign, Baur now walks into a club where the expectations are far higher and the stage much bigger. His next test could come as early as that play-off tie, with a place in the Champions League league phase – and a sizeable chunk of his transfer fee – riding on what happens next.
