Rangers have entered the hunt to sign Christophe Berra, the Heart of Midlothian captain, with reports yesterday claiming that the Ibrox club have made a £1 million offer for the centre back who made his Scotland debut in the friendly against the Czech Republic in Prague last month.

Vladimir Romanov is unlikely to be impressed by the bid, however. The Hearts owner values Berra at double that amount and turned down a £1.5 million offer for the 23-year-old from Wolverhampton Wanderers last week. Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, is looking towards the long term with his interest in Berra, who would inherit any vacancy when David Weir leaves Ibrox. The 38-year-old Scotland defender is poised to sign a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 2009.

Berra’s determination to boost his own international career has prompted him to declare that he wants to move to English football and he would be keen to switch to Wolves, where Mick McCarthy, the manager, has been watching him for some time.

Hearts are aware of their captain’s intention to leave but will allow him to talk only to clubs willing to pay a minimum of £2 million. Whether Romanov would welcome any business from Rangers now is debatable. The Lithuanian millionaire is still angry about the Andy Webster affair, which was resolved only yesterday, more than two years after Webster quit Tynecastle – ostensibly for Wigan Athletic, before switching to Rangers – in a move that saw Hearts fail to receive any fee.

Berra is currently on holiday and has put all discussions on his future on hold until he returns later this month. He is due to report back to Riccarton with the rest of Hearts squad on June 25. Weir was offered an extension by Smith at the end of last season but delayed making a decision as he had to talk over the decision with his family, who still live in Cheshire where the defender was based during his seven years at Everton.

Smith has also been linked with Madjid Bougherra, the Charlton Athletic central defender. The Algeria player has claimed that both Rangers and Middlesbrough want to sign him and he will make a decision soon. Charlton have already rejected a £1.5 million bid from Real Betis for the 25 year-old. The arrival of any other new defenders would put Webster’s future at Ibrox in doubt even though his move from Wigan was completed only on Monday for an undisclosed fee. The 26-year-old Scotland player had been on loan at the Glasgow club since January 2007, but has made just one first-team appearance after suffering knee injuries.

He had a hernia operation just over three weeks ago, and the former Hearts man, the first player to use the controversial Fifa article 17 to move to Wigan two years ago, believes he will be fit and fighting for a place come the start of the new season.

Rangers hope to conclude two deals soon to freshen up their front line, with Kenny Miller’s return to Ibrox set be confirmed today. Martin Bain, the chief executive, met the Scotland striker’s agent, Dave Baldwin, yesterday to thrash out personal terms after a fee of around £1.7 million was agreed with Derby County. Rangers are also in talks with Viking Stavanger, the Norwegian side, over a £1 million move for Andrius Velicka, the former Hearts striker.

Rangers are still uncertain whether Daniel Cousin will be with them next season. The Gabon striker agreed to join Fulham last January only for Fifa to block the £3 million move. A swap deal involving Steve Davis – the Northern Ireland midfeld player, whose loan from Fulham has just ended – may yet be concluded.