Mika Baur to Celtic hangs in the balance over minor valuation gap
Mika Baur to Celtic: Negotiations between Celtic and SC Paderborn have hit a roadblock. Sky Germany broke the news that talks over 21-year-old midfielder Mika Baur have stalled, purely because neither side wants to give ground on a fractional difference in price. Paderborn are digging in at €5 million. Celtic have offered around £4 million, which works out to roughly €4.7 million right now. That leaves £250,000 or €300,000 sitting on the table. It is a tiny margin in modern football terms. Yet, it has brought progress to a total standstill.
Paderborn hold the cards in record transfer gamble
For the 2. Bundesliga side, this is about more than just moving a player on. Hitting that €5 million figure would smash Paderborn’s record sale. Naturally, they are reluctant to take a discount. Their leverage comes down to simple math. Paderborn know they can just keep Baur for the final year of his contract, accept his output for another season, and watch him walk away on a free transfer next summer. Risky? Yes. But it gives them a clear position at the negotiating table.
What Baur brings to the pitch
Baur quietly put together an impressive 2025/26 campaign in Germany’s second tier, clocking up 33 appearances with an average of 81 minutes per match while chipping in four goals and five direct assists. Consistency like that at 21 years old does not go unnoticed. Transfermarkt currently values the right-footed attacking midfielder at €5 million, matching Paderborn’s asking price down to the cent.
Sports pedigree runs in the family. His father, Markus Baur, is a legend in German handball. Mika came through the youth ranks at SC Freiburg before making the switch to Paderborn in 2024. On the pitch, he is a sharp, energetic playmaker who loves to press high and drive straight at defenders. He fits Celtic’s tactical setup like a glove, leaping from Germany’s second division to Parkhead a logical next step.
Scorzo’s take: Someone has to break first
Celtic’s £4 million bid shows genuine intent. Paderborn know that cash is real and on the table today. But holding firm for a record fee carries its own logic. Why take less now when you can either force Celtic’s hand or keep the player for one last push? Walking away over €300,000 makes very little practical sense for Celtic. Bringing in a 21-year-old midfielder with over 30 senior games in Germany last term offers immense upside over a four-year contract. Paderborn are playing a dangerous game by risking a free transfer next year, but right now, the ball is firmly in Celtic’s court to make the final move.
