Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan join Celtic: what they add to a fast-starting leader
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10 Sept 2026Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan join Celtic: what they add to a fast-starting leader
Celtic have completed a double transfer swoop, signing German midfielder Mika Baur from SC Paderborn 07 for a €5.3m fee alongside left-footed right winger Haissem Hassan from Real Oviedo for a €7m fee. The 2004-born, two-footed central midfielder Baur is listed as MC/DM, stands at 172 cm, and will wear No. 14, while the 24-year-old Egyptian international Hassan arrives taking jersey No. 10. Both arrive off strong campaigns—Baur with a well-rounded 2. Bundesliga season and Hassan with a full LaLiga run—and slot directly into a side sitting first in the Scottish Premiership. Here is how the moves fit all clubs involved and why the league leaders look a handy landing spot.
Transfer snapshot and why Celtic moved now
Celtic have secured Mika Baur for €5.3m and Haissem Hassan for €7m to bolster their squad depth and attack. The pair join a side sitting top of the Scottish Premiership after two rounds with two wins, six goals scored, and just one conceded. That fast start includes a 5-1 victory at Kilmarnock and a 1-0 home result against Dundee FC, alongside positive friendlies against AC Milan and Middlesbrough that have pushed the average team Sofascore Rating to 8.48.
Paderborn previously picked Baur up from SC Freiburg II U23 for €100k, so his deal delivers a major financial upside following a development path that included a spell at SG Dynamo Dresden. Hassan’s €7m move caps a busy stretch after featuring at the World Cup and logging regular minutes in Spain. For a squad built to dominate the ball, adding Baur’s press-resistant control in central areas and Hassan’s direct running and service on the wing fits Celtic’s recruitment logic perfectly.
What the numbers say about Baur and Hassan
In the 2. Bundesliga 25/26, Baur played 33 matches (32 starts, 2,667 minutes), posting 4 goals, 5 assists, 49 key passes, and an average Sofascore Rating of 7.01. His distribution yielded 1,287 accurate passes at 84.23 percent, 95 accurate long balls at 52.78 percent, and 120 crosses at 33.33 percent. Off the ball, he registered 43 tackles, 36 interceptions, 141 ball recoveries, 307.28 km covered, and a top speed of 34.87 km/h, alongside 2 DFB Pokal appearances (6.6 rating, 89% passing).
In LaLiga 25/26, Hassan made 37 appearances (20 starts, 1,943 minutes) with a 6.83 average Sofascore Rating, delivering 3 assists, 20 key passes, and 27 accurate crosses from 113 attempts (23.89%). His direct carrying produced 61 successful dribbles (49.19%) and 375 sprints with a top speed of 34.3 km/h. Work-rate-wise, he won 26 tackles (66.67%), made 72 recoveries, won possession 17 times in the attacking third, attempted 34 shots (8 on target), and added a Copa del Rey start (81 minutes).
How they fit Celtic’s early-season profile
Celtic’s early campaign numbers point to a high-possession side with 65 percent average possession, 1,311 total passes (88.48% accuracy), 514 accurate passes in the opposition half, and 51 total shots (41 from inside the box). While they have created 13 big chances and scored six goals—all from inside the box, including three headers—they have also missed nine big chances and hit the woodwork four times.
Martin O’Neill’s team also look dangerous in transition, with six fast breaks and one goal from them, so adding technical control and speed makes complete sense. Baur and Hassan address these tactical needs directly:
- Central Control & Supply: Baur’s 49 key passes, final-third accuracy, and 52.78% long-ball precision feed chance creation, while his 64.71% aerial duel win rate and 58.14% tackle rate bolster Celtic’s 30 tackles and 21 interceptions.
- Flank Width & Penetration: Hassan’s left-footed inside threat on the right offers direct dribbling to improve Celtic’s 25% cross accuracy on 40 attempts.
- Transition Power: Hassan’s 34.3 km/h top speed complements Celtic’s early fast-break output.
- Pressing & Structure: Baur’s 21 attacking-third recoveries and Hassan’s 17 attacking-third turnovers keep opponents locked in their own end.
What it means for all clubs involved
For Celtic, the additions give the coaching staff multiple options to excite the home crowd at Celtic Park. Baur brings a two-footed passer who can switch play, hit diagonals, or sit deeper. Hassan gives them a natural outlet on the flank who can invert to combine or drive to the baseline, helping turn missed big chances into conversions.
For SC Paderborn 07, the €5.3m sale represents a massive value jump on a €100k investment, validating their youth development model while freeing resources to reinvest. For Real Oviedo, receiving €7m provides solid capital, but losing Hassan means replacing a primary wide ball-carrier who provided essential dribble pressure and delivered 113 crosses and 45 accurate long balls over 37 matches.
Both players now step into a domestic leader pursuing wins on a weekly rhythm. Fans can follow their match-by-match progress, dribbles, chance creation, and Sofascore Rating on Sofascore as the fixtures pile up.
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Celtic have completed a double transfer swoop, signing German midfielder Mika Baur from SC Paderborn 07 for a €5.3m fee alongside left-footed right winger Haissem Hassan from Real Oviedo for a €7m fee. The 2004-born, two-footed central midfielder Baur is listed as MC/DM, stands at 172 cm, and will wear No. 14, while the 24-year-old Egyptian international Hassan arrives taking jersey No. 10. Both arrive off strong campaigns—Baur with a well-rounded 2. Bundesliga season and Hassan with a full LaLiga run—and slot directly into a side sitting first in the Scottish Premiership. Here is how the moves fit all clubs involved and why the league leaders look a handy landing spot.
Transfer snapshot and why Celtic moved now
Celtic have secured Mika Baur for €5.3m and Haissem Hassan for €7m to bolster their squad depth and attack. The pair join a side sitting top of the Scottish Premiership after two rounds with two wins, six goals scored, and just one conceded. That fast start includes a 5-1 victory at Kilmarnock and a 1-0 home result against Dundee FC, alongside positive friendlies against AC Milan and Middlesbrough that have pushed the average team Sofascore Rating to 8.48.
Paderborn previously picked Baur up from SC Freiburg II U23 for €100k, so his deal delivers a major financial upside following a development path that included a spell at SG Dynamo Dresden. Hassan’s €7m move caps a busy stretch after featuring at the World Cup and logging regular minutes in Spain. For a squad built to dominate the ball, adding Baur’s press-resistant control in central areas and Hassan’s direct running and service on the wing fits Celtic’s recruitment logic perfectly.
What the numbers say about Baur and Hassan
In the 2. Bundesliga 25/26, Baur played 33 matches (32 starts, 2,667 minutes), posting 4 goals, 5 assists, 49 key passes, and an average Sofascore Rating of 7.01. His distribution yielded 1,287 accurate passes at 84.23 percent, 95 accurate long balls at 52.78 percent, and 120 crosses at 33.33 percent. Off the ball, he registered 43 tackles, 36 interceptions, 141 ball recoveries, 307.28 km covered, and a top speed of 34.87 km/h, alongside 2 DFB Pokal appearances (6.6 rating, 89% passing).
In LaLiga 25/26, Hassan made 37 appearances (20 starts, 1,943 minutes) with a 6.83 average Sofascore Rating, delivering 3 assists, 20 key passes, and 27 accurate crosses from 113 attempts (23.89%). His direct carrying produced 61 successful dribbles (49.19%) and 375 sprints with a top speed of 34.3 km/h. Work-rate-wise, he won 26 tackles (66.67%), made 72 recoveries, won possession 17 times in the attacking third, attempted 34 shots (8 on target), and added a Copa del Rey start (81 minutes).
How they fit Celtic’s early-season profile
Celtic’s early campaign numbers point to a high-possession side with 65 percent average possession, 1,311 total passes (88.48% accuracy), 514 accurate passes in the opposition half, and 51 total shots (41 from inside the box). While they have created 13 big chances and scored six goals—all from inside the box, including three headers—they have also missed nine big chances and hit the woodwork four times.
Martin O’Neill’s team also look dangerous in transition, with six fast breaks and one goal from them, so adding technical control and speed makes complete sense. Baur and Hassan address these tactical needs directly:
What it means for all clubs involved
For Celtic, the additions give the coaching staff multiple options to excite the home crowd at Celtic Park. Baur brings a two-footed passer who can switch play, hit diagonals, or sit deeper. Hassan gives them a natural outlet on the flank who can invert to combine or drive to the baseline, helping turn missed big chances into conversions.
For SC Paderborn 07, the €5.3m sale represents a massive value jump on a €100k investment, validating their youth development model while freeing resources to reinvest. For Real Oviedo, receiving €7m provides solid capital, but losing Hassan means replacing a primary wide ball-carrier who provided essential dribble pressure and delivered 113 crosses and 45 accurate long balls over 37 matches.
Both players now step into a domestic leader pursuing wins on a weekly rhythm. Fans can follow their match-by-match progress, dribbles, chance creation, and Sofascore Rating on Sofascore as the fixtures pile up.