Lewis Neilson grew up watching Mesut Ozil mesmerize English football on Match of the Day.
And the teenager admits Hearts drawing the former Arsenal star’s new club Istanbul Basaksehir is pure box office. But there’s no danger the Jambos stopper will be star-struck if he’s thrown in for a Euro debut against a side containing Premier League magic of the German midfielder and former Tottenham ace Nacer Chadli next week.
Not when the EPL is exactly where 19-year-old Neilson aims to be playing his football in the future. Neilson has heard all the comparisons with John Souttar since following the Scotland defender’s journey from Dundee United to Tynecastle. But the Tynecastle teenager insists he’s driven to follow his own path to the top after impressing in his first Hearts start in Sunday’s 3-2 win over St Johnstone. And with Craig Halkett having missed the last thee games through injury and Kye Rowles hobbling off with a foot injury on Sunday, the chances of Neilson making his Euro debut against the Turks are growing.
That’s a prospect that has the teenager licking his lips - and he even reckons the Jambos can qualify from a Europa Conference League group also containing Serie A giants Fiorentina and unknown Latvian champions RFS.
He said: “I would love to make my European debut but it doesn’t matter who it is against, I will do my own thing.
“If it is Mesut Ozil and Basaksehir, if it is St Johnstone, if it is Celtic, or whoever I will play the same way and give it my all.
“When we saw the draw it went down well and I think we have a good chance to go through and I believe we can take points off of teams.
“We have some really exciting away days with Istanbul, Florence and Riga, so they will be good trips.
“I have watched Ozil on Match of the Day over the years and he has been a very good player for a number of years.
“When he was in his prime at Arsenal he was great and I would love to play against him.
“It will be exciting to play against him but we have to go toe to toe with them.
“We are confident enough that we can do that against all the teams we will face.
“You don’t think about the names or anything, you play against your opponent and try to win the game.
“It is a great prospect to play in Europe at my age.
“If I play well in those games it will give me great exposure and it gives you a lot more hype about you and the team.
“The atmosphere last Thursday was great and that’s the first time I have been part of a team in Europe. Those nights are brilliant.”
Neilson’s comfort on the ball and ability to turn defence into attack has brought widespread comparisons with Souttar who moved from Hearts to Rangers in the summer.
The teenager knows it’s a compliment. But he’s determined to make a name for himself.
He said: “John is a brilliant role model and someone I look up to.
“He has came from Dundee United to Hearts, the same as me, played first-team football and now has a move to Rangers. Hopefully he does well there.
“It’s great to be compared to him but I want to be my own player.
“I want to be the full package as a centre-half, be good with the ball and without it.
“I want to kick on in my career and play at the very top level that I can.
“I would love to go south and play in the English Premier League. I know that’s a big ambition but I have to produce it here first if I want to achieve that.
“I look at it one game at a time and I am fully focused on Hearts and stay in this team first. But everyone has to be ambitious.”
