The clubs have never met outside Glasgow but Press Association Sport understands they have been approached to stage a fixture during a tour of North America in July.

The idea is the brainchild of a US-based promotions company, and it is thought there would be huge interest in the match.

Talks are at an extremely early stage but Celtic are already pencilled in to play Manchester United in Toronto on July 16 or 17, while Rangers are reportedly considering games in Miami and New York.

The venue for any derby would likely be the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, where Celtic drew with New England Revolution in July 2006.

Just over 16,000 spectators were in attendance for that match but organisers would be confident of selling out the near-70,000 ground for an Old Firm game, generating some much-needed revenue for both clubs.

A similar proposal was mooted six years ago, with Australia as the host country, but it failed to get off the ground.

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Meanwhile, Celtic won a hastily-arranged 'friendly' Old Firm derby 1-0 at Murray Park today.

Rangers coach Tommy Wilson got in touch with the club's arch-rivals after learning their friendly against AZ Alkmaar at Parkhead had been postponed due to the travel chaos caused by an Icelandic volcano.

Today's game saw both sides field a number of first-team players and was taken in by Rangers manager Walter Smith and Celtic interim boss Neil Lennon.

Morten Rasmussen scored the winner for the visitors in the second half.

The Rangers players on show included Neil Alexander, Kirk Broadfoot, Steven Smith, DaMarcus Beasley, John Fleck and Nacho Novo.

As well as Rasmussen, Celtic fielded Glenn Loovens, Thomas Rogne, Edson Braafheid, Ki Sung-Yueng, Zheng Zhi and Paddy McCourt.