FIFA have rejected Leicester City’s request to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Adrien Silva outside of the transfer window.

Leicester thought they had signed Silva on transfer deadline day as a replacement for Danny Drinkwater, who completed a move to Chelsea.

However the FA forwarded the transfer to FIFA’s Transfer Matching System, which was rejected by the world governing body because the deadline has passed.

Is the saga is finally over?

A FIFA spokesman said to Sky Sports: "We can confirm the following decision of the Single Judge of the Players' Status Committee: the petition made by the Football Association for permission to request the International Transfer Certificate for the player Adrien Silva and subsequently register the player for its affiliated club, Leicester City FC, is rejected."

The Portuguese midfielder is now left in limbo, as Leicester filled the paperwork in September 14 seconds late as the deadline passed.

This was after a £25 million fee had been agreed with Sporting Lisbon and personal terms had been agreed with the player.

Leicester submitted an appeal last month with the support of the FA, but were not successful.

This means that FIFA will withhold the necessary licence needed to complete a transfer, and legally Silva is even unable to train with Leicester.

Silva and manager Craig Shakespeare will be very unhappy with the news, as Shakespeare has previously said “The conversations I’ve had with him so far are very brief. But of course in the back of his mind the World Cup will be concern,” The former West Brom coach said recently.

“But I think he is more interested in finding the right solution for here and now.” He said before the request was denied.

The Foxes could take this case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Where does this leave Silva and Leicester?

The news means an uncertain couple of months for Silva, who has returned to Portugal to be with his pregnant wife.

He can be registered in January though, which is just three months away. In the meantime they have Wilfried Ndidi, Andy King, Matty James, Vicente Iborra and Daniel Amartey to occupy the central midfield roles.

Leicester do sit just one place above the relegation zone after seven games, and are only above it on goal difference as they are on the same amount of points as Swansea City.

They have had a difficult start to the season though, having already faced Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Their current squad should have enough to keep its head above the relegation zone water until January, where Silva can join the squad and be a huge boost.