Nicolas Kuhn’s Celtic career ultimately promised more than it delivered

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The Celtic Star

·7 luglio 2025

Nicolas Kuhn’s Celtic career ultimately promised more than it delivered

So Nicolas Kuhn is off, completing his medical today ahead of a move to Serie A side Como, where he’ll link up with Cesc Fabregas in what’s fast becoming one of the most intriguing managerial projects in European football.

🚨✈️ EXCL: Nicolas Kühn, on his way to Italy as he signs in as new Como player on €19m from Celtic. Agreement done as revealed last week and Kühn on his way with agent Fabian Dingler. Here we go, confirmed. ✅💙
– lunedì 7 luglio 2025

The reported fee? Just over £15 million. Not bad business on paper, considering Celtic signed the German winger for under £3 million a mere 18 months ago. A fivefold return for the balance sheet — but there’s more than a tinge of disappointment amongst the support.

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Was that really all he was worth?

Nicolas Kuehn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Because for all the talk of smart business and player trading models, it’s hard not to shake the feeling that Celtic may have sold Kuhn short. Some will argue the board could, even should have held on for another year, banked on the player finding his rhythm again, and pushed that fee well beyond the £20 million mark.

After all, this was a lad who had Bayern in his pocket in Munich, who destroyed Leipzig in the Champions League at Celtic Park, and who silenced the hordes end at Hampden with a goal against theRangers that sent us, momentarily, delirious.

Nicolas Kuhn celebrates his goal during the Premier Sports Cup Final victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

But then, there’s the other side of it. The lessons of the Covid season still cast a long shadow over Lennoxtown. Holding onto unhappy players like Ryan Christie, Kristoffer Ajer, and Odsonne Edouard in 2020–21 might have seemed like a show of ambition — until the on-field results unravelled spectacularly and their value dropped with every frustrating performance.

Celtic looked to have learned from that. In Kuhn’s case, there were signs he had mentally checked out, his body language these past few months hinting at a player worn down, perhaps by the expectations, perhaps by the physical demands.

His time at Celtic is best defined in thirds. The first six months — underwhelming. A winger who looked lightweight, unsure, often anonymous. The next six — electric. Goals, assists, swagger, a player who looked like he could be the difference-maker on European nights. And then came the final stretch — inconsistent, erratic, and occasionally looking like he wished he was anywhere else.

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Few players have divided opinion quite like Nicolas Kuhn. He had all the tools — pace, trickery, a wand of a left foot. But consistency? That was the missing piece. When he was on it, you couldn’t take your eyes off him. But when he wasn’t, he left you exasperated.

A frustrating paradox. The kind of player who’d pull off the outrageous on a Wednesday night in Europe, then misplace ten-yard passes on a Saturday in Perth.

Nicolas Kuhn celebrates his goal during the Premier Sports Cup Final victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

There’s no doubt he had the potential to go for a record-breaking fee. But potential is only as valuable as its realisation. In the end, we’re left with flashes — glorious, unforgettable flashes — but not the full picture.

That night in Munich will live long in the memory. His calm and composed finish, a show of what appeared genuine emotion, the wee hug with Jota, the noise, the belief. For a moment, we thought Celtic were about to write a new chapter in our European story.

But just like Kuhn’s Celtic career, it ultimately promised more than it delivered.

Niall J

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