ANDY WEBSTER may not play for Rangers this season after his signing hit a major snag.

Hearts have protested to Fifa and the SFA that his loan from Wigan is illegal.

Until the protest is heard, Rangers will be unable to register the former Tynecastle defender, who in any case is currently injured and will be unable to play for five weeks.

And there is a chance that the Scotland defender may not be allowed to play for Rangers until next season.

Webster used an obscure Fifa regulation to exit his Hearts contract last June when it still had 12 months to run.

Hearts are due compensation - which has yet to be determined by Fifa - but in the interim the world governing body sanctioned Webster's move to Wigan on an International Transfer Certificate.

When he was then loaned to Rangers last week, Hearts protested that, under the rules, the player was not permitted to return to Scotland within 12 months.

Hearts major shareholder Vladimir Romanov is refusing to cancel Webster's registration, which ends on June 30 this year, and is prepared to fight tooth and nail to prevent him playing for one of Hearts' major rivals.

The SFA will now be unable to register the 24-year-old's move to Ibrox until the wrangle is resolved.

Webster's agent, Charles Duddy, maintains he and his client have acted within the regulations. "I haven't heard of that rule. The cancellation of Andy's contract at Wigan and his loan are appropriate," he said.

Under Fifa rules, Hearts are due around £200,000 as payment for the remaining year of Webster's contract. To date, no compensation has been paid.

Webster completed his move on Friday night - initially on loan with a view to completing a permanent deal in the summer.

However, the 24-year-old then injured medial knee ligaments in training the next day making a block tackle on one of his new team-mates at Murray Park.