Daniel Cousin could be in line for a Rangers recall after UEFA rejected Jean-Claude Darcheville's appeal over a three-match European ban.

Cousin's future is in limbo after world football's governing body, FIFA, blocked the Gabon striker's £3m transfer to Fulham during the January window, when it emerged he had already played twice for his previous club, Lens, this season.

FIFA, whose rules prohibit a player being registered by more than two clubs per season, have yet to make a decision on Cousin's move and have hinted that they could wait until the end of the African Cup of Nations before making an announcement.

Yesterday, the 30-year-old trained at Murray Park for the first time since his move to Fulham stalled and Walter Smith is now left with a dilemma.

"We still hold the international certificate of registration and until FIFA make a decision, Cousin remains a Rangers player," said the SFA's head of registration, Sandy Bryson.

Fulham have asked for the player to be excused from duty at Rangers until FIFA's verdict. But with Darcheville now suspended for both legs of the UEFA Cup last-32 tie against Panathinaikos, Cousin could be poised for a return to action against Falkirk at Ibrox tomorrow with a view to Wednesday night's home leg against the Greek side.

Darcheville was sent off near the end of Rangers' 3-0 Champions League defeat to Olympique Lyonnais on December 12 after stamping on the Swedish striker, Kim Kallstrom, and is suspended for both legs against the Greeks in the UEFA Cup. If Rangers prevail, he will also miss the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Rangers missed out on signing Andrea Caracciolo as a replacement for Cousin and Smith played Lee McCulloch as the targetman during last weekend's 0-0 draw against Hibernian in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.

Rangers are loath to risk losing out on a profit of more than £2m for the player they signed for £750,000 from Lens in the summer, but his experience could be vital to Rangers getting past the Greeks. Reaching the last 16 could be worth an estimated £2m in television revenue if Werder Bremen, the German side, defeat Sporting Braga in their last-32 tie.

Reintroducing Cousin is a calculated risk Smith may be prepared to take despite the striker making little secret of his desire to leave for England.

Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, insisted yesterday the deal was "still alive".

"FIFA have requested further documents and I believe that one of their important executive committee members, who chairs the necessary commission which looks into these things, will consider the case on his return from the African Nations Cup," he said.

"Hopefully then, we will get an answer - hopefully positive, but, even if it was negative, at least we would know where we are.

"At the moment we are awaiting that decision. Will it be next week? I don't know. FIFA have not yet said, we have not been told a date."

Hodgson added: "I am more disappointed for Daniel Cousin, because he came here in good faith, and we took him here in good faith, and Rangers reluctantly agreed to sell him to us. And then, all of a sudden, because of this 20 minutes he finds himself in some sort of limbo.

"I'm still in contact with Walter Smith. I will be in touch with him to find out what he thinks about the situation, and what the next move is."

Ultimately, though, Hodgson accepts the matter is FIFA's hands. However, he sees no reason why the deal should not be allowed to go through should FIFA give the green light.

He insisted: "We've done all of this within the transfer window, and if the appeal is heard, it's a bit like the Benjani situation between Manchester City and Portsmouth."

Rangers manager Smith was, meanwhile, heartened by the return of Kevin Thomson and Steven Whittaker to training yesterday. Thomson underwent a groin operation two weeks ago and could be available for selection much sooner than expected.

Whittaker missed last week's Scottish Cup tie after picking up an injury against Hearts in the 2-0 CIS Insurance Cup semi-final win at Ibrox and could return at right-back against John Hughes's side.