Celtic land Mika Baur: the German who chose Glasgow over the Bundesliga
Celtic have signed German midfielder Mika Baur from Paderborn on a four-year contract, with the deal worth around €8m — a record sale for the German club.
The move was finalised on 13 August 2026 after Baur travelled to Glasgow to complete the transfer, as first reported by Sky Germany. Celtic confirmed the signing through their official club newsroom, headlining the announcement with Baur saying he was "delighted to be at Celtic" and "ready to go" (Celtic FC).
What makes Baur's choice striking is what he left behind. Paderborn had just achieved their greatest success since the turn of the millennium, and Baur was central to it. He could have played in Germany's top flight, the Bundesliga, for the first time — either with Paderborn or another club. Instead, he picked the Scottish Premiership (BBC Sport).
Before the move, Baur consulted Nicolas Kühn, the German winger who joined Celtic from Rapid Vienna in 2024 before moving to Como the following season. The two share an agent, and Kühn's advice was straightforward: if you get the chance, take it. That phone call clearly mattered.
Baur's route to Glasgow has been anything but direct. He came through Freiburg's academy and made match-day squads but never broke into the first team. A loan to Dynamo Dresden two years ago changed his trajectory; he helped the club win promotion to Bundesliga 2, Germany's second tier, and returned to Paderborn a different player. A mindset coach and the arrival of head coach Ralf Kettemann further sharpened his progress.
On the pitch, Baur started life as a winger, then moved into the attacking midfield role. Under Kettemann, he settled deeper as a playmaker — the player who sits behind the action and dictates tempo, recycling possession and picking passes. His style has drawn comparisons to Nicolas Raskin, the Rangers midfielder who performs a similar role on the other side of Glasgow.
There is a sporting dynasty in the family, too. Baur's father, Markus Baur, earned 228 caps for Germany in handball, winning Olympic silver in 2004 and world championship gold in 2007. Mika has represented Germany at every youth level up to the under-21s.
For Celtic, the signing adds a versatile, Germany-educated midfielder at a position where Brendan Rodgers likes to rotate. For Baur, it is a step into one of British football's most demanding environments — a club where every result is a headline, and a debut at Celtic Park is not easily forgotten.
