Webster played in a post-season friendly for Rangers

The Scotland defender, 25, arrived at Ibrox from Wigan on a temporary deal last January but injury prevented him from playing any part last season.

Webster will now travel to Germany with the rest of the Ibrox squad in two weeks for pre-season training.

Rangers aim to sign him long-term but Hearts are appealing against the terms of his switch to the JJB Stadium.

Fifa ordered Webster to pay �625,000 after he cancelled his Tynecastle contract to join Wigan.

And Rangers cannot make the move permanent until a tribunal rules on the appeal.

"The situation is similar to how it was at the end of last season, so there's nothing definite about the transfer between Hearts and Wigan," Rangers manager Walter Smith said earlier this week.

"We would like him here but we have to wait for the situation to be resolved."

Webster is the first player to use Fifa regulations to walk out on a club after an established 'protected period'.

Article 17 of the Fifa transfer regulations allows players under the age of 28 to invoke the rule three years into a contract.

For those 28 or over when signing the contract the protected period is two years.

A 15-day notice period has to be served before a player can trigger the ruling and then a compensation fee must be decided.

The player is then free to find a new club, providing the switch is to another country.

However, Webster played for Wigan and moved to Rangers before Fifa ruled on the issue of compensation.

And Hearts, who valued the defender at �5m, were furious at Webster's return to Scotland after making just five appearances for Wigan.