Jurgen Klopp Backs Mika Baur’s Celtic Move for Germany Call-Up

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Mika Baur’s decision to swap the Bundesliga for Celtic as he handed the midfielder a first senior Germany call-up.

The 22-year-old is one of the eye-catching names in Klopp’s maiden squad, a sprawling 44-man selection split into two separate groups. One pool will take on the Netherlands and Greece; the other is scheduled to face Serbia and Greece.

Baur is in the latter group and will report for duty with the national set-up from September 28.

Klopp, speaking to STV Sport, explained why the Celtic midfielder had earned his chance and revealed the pair had already discussed Baur’s move to Glasgow.

“I consider him really exciting,” Klopp said. “He’s absolutely up for it. We also spoke on the phone about the weather in Glasgow – something I know well from Liverpool. With this move, he’s taken on a very challenging step.”

It is exactly that leap which appears to have impressed the new Germany boss. Baur joined Celtic in the summer from newly-promoted Bundesliga side Paderborn in a deal worth around £6million, arriving on the back of an almost ever-present role in their successful 2025/26 campaign.

He has wasted no time making himself at home in Glasgow. Under Martin O’Neill, Baur has quickly become a key figure, to the point he has recently kept seasoned summer signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the starting XI.

There have already been standout moments. Earlier this month he was named man of the match after scoring the winner against St Johnstone, a performance that underlined why Celtic pushed to bring him in. He then went the distance in the 3-0 Glasgow Derby defeat at Ibrox, a bruising introduction to one of European football’s most intense fixtures.

Germany have tracked Baur for some time. He previously represented his country at under-21 level alongside Said El Mala, Finn Jeltsch and Brajan Gruda. All three have now been promoted by Klopp as part of the sweeping new-look squad.

If Baur makes his senior debut in the coming fixtures, he will step into a small but notable group: German internationals who have worn the Celtic shirt, following in the path of Andreas Thom and Andreas Hinkel.