RICKY Sbragia is mulling over a move for Hearts defender Christophe Berra after turning down the opportunity to sign Bolton centre-half Danny Shittu for a second time.

Sbragia has assembled a hit list of five possible signings – four defenders and a midfielder – and while he will not pursue his interest in all of them, he is expected to lodge two formal offers before next Tuesday’s league game with Fulham.

West Ham’s James Collins and Calum Davenport are understood to be on his radar, while sources in Italy claim the Black Cats have expressed an interest in Fiorentina centre-half Manuel da Costa.

But 23-year-old Berra has emerged as an alternative option and, while Hearts turned down Wolves’ £1.5m offer for their skipper last summer, the cash-strapped Edinburgh club are keen to sell during the current transfer window.

“We have made inquiries about five players and we’re just waiting to see where we stand,” said Sbragia. “There’s one we’ve got our eye on and, if we bring him in, he should be starting against Fulham.

“Of the five players we’ve got under consideration, four are defenders and one is a midfielder, but we’re not expecting to get all five.”

Sbragia could have signed Shittu this week after Bolton officials proposed a loan deal for the unsettled centre-half.

But having turned down an opportunity for a £2m permanent transfer at the start of the month, the Sunderland boss has dismissed any possibility of a temporary deal.

“He’s not one that we’re looking at,” said Sbragia.

“No, not at all.”