Bosnian aims to be part of something big

WHEN Vladimir Romanov stated his intentions of transforming Hearts into championship contenders and European mainstays, the cynics scoffed.

Yet, the first major benefit of the heightened profile afforded the club this season has arrived. Mirsad Beslija is here, lured by the prospect of magical nights against the finest teams from the Continent.

The Bosnian winger has cost £850,000 from the Belgian club Racing Genk, a club record fee, and already has visions of television cameras panning his face whilst the violin-driven Champions League theme tune rings in his ears in the build-up to a big European encounter at Tynecastle.

Such a prospect has prompted Beslija to reject the overtures of Sunderland, where he may even have been handed a fatter weekly wage packet, in favour of Edinburgh and the opportunity to help Romanov realise his ambitions of having Hearts amongst Europe's most celebrated sides.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening News, Beslija said: "I know quite a lot about Hearts and I'm very happy to be joining them. They are a big club in Scotland who are challenging for Champions League places and European football. That's why I want to be here, to be a part of that.

"There was interest in me from other clubs in the Premier League in England, but I'm more than happy to be coming to Hearts. "Sunderland wanted me but I looked and decided that they are bottom of the Premier League whereas Hearts are a club looking to push for trophies every year now. That's been made clear in the Belgian press. I think Hearts' style of play will suit me a lot more than having to defend week in, week out in the Premiership."

Beslija first came to Hearts' attention far from these shores, and not surprisingly it was in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, that Romanov first found himself enamoured by the electrifyingly quick winger.

After an impressive, albeit brief, substitute's performance by Beslija for Bosnia-Herzegovina in their 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory against Lithuania back in September, Romanov and his entourage hunted the 26-year-old down for a second look in Belgrade the following month.

The Bosnians went down 1-0 on that occasion to their hosts, Serbia and Montenegro, but an incisive display from the right-winger had made him a valued commodity in the eyes of the Lithuanians in the stand.

Ironically, three of his opponents in that first match against Lithuania were Edgaras Jankauskas, Saulius Mikoliunas, pictured right, and Deividas Cesnauskis. Beslija will now compete with the latter two for a place on the right of the Hearts midfield.

He said: "I'm not concerned about that at all. The club has come in for me and they are prepared to buy me, so I will fight for my place with everyone else.

"I have a very healthy ambition as a footballer. I want to come and compete for silverware in Scotland and I am looking forward to hopefully helping Hearts qualify for the Champions League. That is what attracted me to Scotland.

"Cup finals, challenging for the league, these things would be fantastic if I could achieve them at Hearts."

The fee, which eclipses Hearts' previous record purchases of Derek Ferguson and John Robertson by around £100,000, is rather substantial in football's current financially-restricted market, particularly from a club with debts still near to the £20m mark.

Romanov's judgment has been fairly astute with his signings thus far, though, and Beslija certainly won't dither to allow any additional pressure to fall on his shoulders as a result of Hearts' investment in him. In fact, you get the impression he will already be studying videos of SPL left-backs as a means of preparation for his new career.

"It's up to the people who decide to buy the players for Hearts how much money is paid," said Beslija. "The fee that has been agreed doesn't bother me at all.

"I have been watching Scottish football in Belgium. I've seen Rangers and Celtic a lot this season and I've played in European ties for Genk against British sides. I also watched the Hearts-Celtic match on Turkish television whilst I was at a winter training camp over there with Genk. That created a lot of interest in Turkey, a lot more than I had expected. Scottish football is quite popular in Belgium, too."

The president of Racing Genk may well be dancing round his conference table as the considerable funds due for the capture of Beslija are transferred into his club's bank account. The player's agent, Mark Talbot, recognises that a figure of £850,000 is likely to provoke a sharp intake of breath from supporters.

"It is quite a substantial fee in this day and age but you have to take into consideration the fact he's played 40 times for his country and he's still quite a young lad.

"Anything could happen. If he does well for Hearts he could move on to bigger and better things for even more money, which would then be profit for Hearts and I think that's how they are looking at it as well.

"I think Mirsad will do very, very well in Scotland. John Murray, Hearts' youth academy director, was very aware of him and was keen to help get him."

So too was Murray's Lithuanian master as he attempts to put together a cunning plan for European domination. Okay, that's a little dramatic, but Hearts supporters have been dreaming of little else all season. Now it appears their new signing has joined in.

Taken from the Scotsman