Derby County have been told that Roy Carroll will not be cleared to join them until Rangers sign a suitable replacement.

The Rams have been waiting to finalise a deal for the former Manchester United goalkeeper and had been hoping to make him their sixth signing of a busy transfer window.

Their Scottish counterparts are not ready to let him leave Ibrox until a replacement has been recruited though, according to manager Walter Smith.

"From our own point of view we have to take into account Roy's desire to move back to England but we need to get someone in before he leaves," Smith told the club's official website.

"As things stand we have not been able to get someone in."