Mika Baur Is Already Attracting Europe’s Elite — Celtic Must Not Make Another Expensive Mistake

Well, that didn’t take long!

Mika Baur only arrived at Celtic in the summer, but already there are reports of interest from some of Europe’s biggest leagues. According to Sky Sport Germany, clubs in the English Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A are monitoring the Celtic midfielder.

And honestly, it’s hardly surprising.

The 22-year-old has been one of the standout additions to Martin O’Neill’s squad. He has brought energy, technical ability and a real presence to our midfield, while showing an attacking threat that we haven’t always had from that position.

Four goals in 19 appearances is an impressive return, particularly for a player who has only recently arrived in Glasgow. His performances have also earned him recognition with the senior German national team, a remarkable achievement so early in his Celtic career.

But there’s a bigger question here: how long will we actually get to enjoy watching him in the hoops?

Reports suggest that clubs from England, Germany and Italy are already making enquiries, with a potential valuation of €15-20 million being discussed. A January departure is not expected, but next summer could become a different story if his performances continue.

Thankfully, Celtic are in a reasonably strong position. Baur signed a contract until 2030 and reportedly has no release clause, meaning the club aren’t under any immediate pressure to sell.

However, we’ve been here before.

We have developed a reputation for identifying talented players, bringing them to Glasgow, improving their value and eventually selling them on. There is nothing inherently wrong with that model, but there comes a point where we need to keep some of these players and build a genuinely competitive team around them.

Baur should be one of those players.

He’s only 22, has already demonstrated his quality and still has plenty of development ahead of him. Imagine what he could become with another two or three seasons at Celtic, playing regular European football and developing alongside better players.

Of course, we cannot pretend that a move to the Premier League or Bundesliga wouldn’t be attractive to him. These are huge leagues, and the financial opportunities are obviously significant.

But Celtic should be making it difficult for him to even consider leaving.

That means showing ambition in the transfer market, improving the quality around him and giving him a footballing project worth committing to. We cannot expect talented players to stay if we continue selling our best performers without adequately replacing them.

There is also the immediate concern of his ankle injury against Kilmarnock. Baur has withdrawn from Germany’s Under-21 squad, and hopefully the scan results bring positive news. The last thing we need is a lengthy absence just as his reputation is growing.

For now, the transfer speculation is something to be pleased about rather than panic over. It shows that Celtic have identified a player with enormous potential and that his performances are being recognised beyond Scotland.

But please, Celtic, don’t turn this into another situation where we are celebrating a transfer fee more than the player we are losing.

Mika Baur could become a central figure in this team for years to come.

Let’s actually try keeping him.