Andy Webster's case will be discussed by Fifa next week

The 24-year-old Scotland defender was injured shortly after joining from Wigan Athletic in January.

He is still the subject of a transfer fee dispute between Wigan and his previous club, Hearts.

But Smith said: "He is a player we would like to bring back and the arrangement is made."

World football's governing body, Fifa, will discuss Hearts' demand for �5m compensation from Wigan on Wednesday.

And Smith admitted: "It is complicated by the tribunal aspect of things.

"We will have to wait for the outcome of that and then we will go from there.

We would hope he would be able to come and make a show for us before the end of the season Rangers manager Walter Smith

"He is just unfortunate in that he picked up a bad injury at the time he did."

However, Webster could yet make his Rangers debut before the end of the season.

"He has just started to get back running again," said Smith.

"The weeks are ticking down in terms of the season, but we would hope he would be able to come and make a show for us before the end of the season."

Meanwhile, Smith says he is opposed to Uefa plans to hand Champions League places to winners of domestic national cups.

The football governing body are considering the proposal and a final decision will be taken by Uefa's executive committee in September.

Rangers are currently battling for second spot in the Scottish Premier League in a bid to book their place at Europe's top club competition for next season.

"The Champions League should always be down to league position," said Smith.

"It should be a reward for consistency over the period of the season.

"I sometimes think there are too many teams who are being rewarded for third and fourth place in the league, but that's another argument.