David Friel has a gut feeling that Mika Baur will become a Celtic player.
The midfielder appears to be caught up in a stand-off between Celtic and Paderborn after reportedly agreeing personal terms to move to Glasgow.
Fabrizio Romano broke that news of July 21 but this summer Friel has led the way with Celtic transfer news.
On June 19 he revealed interest in Qarabag striker Camilo Duran. Celtic announced that signing on July 10.
On July 19 Friel reported that Celtic had revived their interest in Kasper Hogh. Nine days later the Dane was announced as a Celtic striker.
Transfer activity with Celtic is traditionally a laboured process.
Speculation about signing Baur is now well into week two but Friel expects it to end with the German becoming a Celtic player.
Could Celtic’s move for Mika Baur be OFF? ?
David Friel doesn’t think so…
Celtic Transfer Special: ?https://t.co/sBOzfyJLVn pic.twitter.com/262f74FyiW
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) July 30, 2026
Friel said:
Where we are is Celtic want the player, the player wants to come to Celtic but obviously a fee hasn’t been agreed yet.
From speaking to people, Celtic believe that the offer, or offers that they’ve been making are more than fair.
He has 12 months to go on his deal. He, he is highly rated but he is coming from the second tier of the Bundesliga, albeit Paderborn won promotion.
I think that Celtic believe it is a fair offer. I think his people believe that it is a pretty fair offer.
Right now, which is their prerogative, Paderborn aren’t happy with that offer.
My gut feeling is that it will probably get done, it will end up getting done. I think that when players start missing games, and, I don’t mean agitating for a move. I don’t know Mika Baur and I don’t know the ins and outs of what happened yesterday (missing the Southampton match on Wednesday night) but, he wants to come to Celtic.
The ‘Baur saga’ took a twist on Wednesday when it emerged that he would miss the friendly against Southampton due to a cold.
Friel drew parallels with the previous week when Hogh was dropped to the substitute bench when Bodo Glimt played Ham Kam. Four days later he flew to London for his Celtic medical.
THE BAUR TRANSFER TIMELINE
After gaining promotion Paderborn have no financial need to sell any of their players.
They also know that Celtic are cash rich, in need of signings and likely to sell Arne Engels for over £20m which gives the German club a strong hand to negotiate with.
Baur will be on a Bundesliga 2 salary with Celtic able to substantially improve on that.
After missing Wednesday’s match against Southampton eyes will be on whether or not Baur is involved tomorrow away to Osnabruck.
Should be join Celtic it is difficult to see him being involved involved in the Champions League Play Off matches on August 18/19 and 25/26.
Paderborn start their Bundesliga campaign on August 29 away to Mainz. Four weeks after Celtic open up against Dundee.
After their SPFL opener on Monday Celtic have away matches at Kilmarnock and Dundee United before they face their Champions League Play Off.
The Champions League squad has to be registered on August 13 but two changes can be made 24 hours before the first leg match.
Paderborn are backed into a corner with their unreasonable demands and they know it.For once I don’t lay this at our boards door.So it’s take the 4 million for a player with a year left on his deal or have a unhappy possibly disruptive influence in your dressing room,who you will then lose for nothing next summer.No brainer
A bit like Ipswich having the upper hand with us v Daizen – Albeit we have Champions ? League qualifiers desperation muddying the waters in it all !
Mr Friel of the God awful anti Celtic Scottish Sun rag publication ! Isn’t he the equivalent of Mick Gannon of the equally anti Celtic circling the drain of extinction daily Record ? Useful idiots who pose as Celtic FC minded sympathetic tabloid people but are low men on the totem poles of preferred and trusted scoops by their bosses at both daily papers !
Don’t you find it strange that the clumpany which finished third in last season’s league is number 1 priority for reporting and information from the Record and Sun sheets .and the entire SMSM ..always and forever ?
Yet the Celtic board use both papers as ‘business partners ‘ and ‘first choice ‘ for giving ‘breaking news ‘ over all Celtic media platforms ! Which part of ‘anti Celtic ‘ from the Sun and Record rags do the Celtic board not fully understand ? Pay attention …..