Celtic Signs Midfielder Mika Baur for Summer Rebuild

Celtic have stepped up their summer rebuild again, sealing a fourth new arrival with the capture of midfielder Mika Baur on a four-year deal, with an option for a fifth.

The 22-year-old joins from German side Paderborn in a move worth around £6.8m, after driving them to promotion from the 2. Bundesliga to the Bundesliga last season. He scored four goals, supplied five assists in 33 league appearances and finished the campaign as the club’s player of the year.

Sky Sports News understand Celtic will pay an initial £4.5m fee, with a further £2.3m tied up in performance-related add-ons. As with the deals for fellow summer recruits Camilo Duran, Kasper Høgh and Haissem Hassan, a significant slice of those bonuses hinges on Celtic reaching the league phase of the Champions League.

That context matters now. Celtic face LASK Linz in a Champions League play-off next week, and Baur, who came through Freiburg’s academy before switching to Paderborn in 2024, can be registered for the tie.

Baur's Reaction

For Baur, the move felt obvious.

"It's absolutely the right move," he 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 Comments

Manager Martin O'Neill believes Celtic have landed a midfielder tailor-made for the way he wants his team to play.

"I am delighted that we have been able to bring Mika to Celtic," O’Neill 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 promotion hero in Germany now drops into the intensity of Glasgow and the demands of Champions League qualification. Celtic have backed their judgement with hard cash; Baur arrives with the fitness, form and confidence of a player on the rise. The next question is simple: how quickly can he turn that into influence in green and white?