SC Paderborn are still recalibrating after Mika Baur’s summer move to Celtic. Gabriel Vidovic and Laurin Ulrich have shown different early signs, while Luka Duric is waiting for a larger role.
- Baur, 22, joined Celtic Glasgow in the summer after 33 2. Bundesliga appearances and four goals for Paderborn in 2025/26.
- He became Germany’s 1,000th senior international when he came on in last Thursday’s 2-0 win over Serbia.
- Paderborn received more than €6 million for Baur. Days later, they spent close to half that sum on Vidovic from Dinamo Zagreb.
- Vidovic is the club’s record signing and came through Bayern Munich’s academy. He scored on his competitive debut in a 4-2 cup win over fourth-tier Phönix Lübeck.
- The Croatian former youth international has played four Bundesliga matches. His average rating is 4.38, lowest among Paderborn players with four appearances. He has registered one shot and two chances created.
- Vidovic has completed 55 per cent of his dribbles and carries a 90 per cent passing rate.
- Ulrich, on loan from Stuttgart, impressed in Paderborn’s 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim. He played as the right-sided attacking midfielder behind the forwards in Ralf Kettemann’s 3-3-2-2.
- The 20-year-old helped create the third goal with the pass before the assist and pressed aggressively. He also set up a goal from a corner during Germany Under-21s’ 4-1 win in Malta.
- Duric, 23, has yet to establish himself as Paderborn’s intended link player. He did not play in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s last three Nations League fixtures and could have another opportunity against Poland on Monday.
What it changes in the Bundesliga week
Paderborn cannot directly reproduce Baur’s contribution in possession or from set pieces. Vidovic remains a development project despite the transfer fee. His clean passing and close control are useful markers, but his Bundesliga output is still limited.
Ulrich has moved ahead in immediate influence. His work against Hoffenheim gave Kettemann a sharper option between midfield and attack, with evidence both in pressing and in the final-third build-up. Duric remains another candidate, but needs minutes before he can affect the promoted side’s attacking balance.
