Leicester City’s appeal to have Adrien Silva registered and available to play has been rejected by world football’s governing body.
The Foxes signed Silva from Sporting Lisbon on transfer deadline day for £25m, but registered the paperwork just 14 seconds late, as a result of which the Portuguese midfielder’s International Transfer Certificate was withheld. Silva was to be a key part of Craig Shakespeare’s plans following the departure of Danny Drinkwater to Chelsea, but the gaffer has been unable to use his services so far. Leicester have won only one league game all season and are currently 17th in the league table going into the international break.
The rejection is also a set back for Silva, with the 28 year old even unable to train with the rest of Leicester’s first team squad. He will now have to wait till January for regular first team football and faces a frustrating three month spell on the sidelines despite not being injured. Silva has also been omitted from Portugal’s squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Andorra.
Silva was part of the Portugal squad that won Euro 2016 and will be keen to be part of the Seleccao’s plans for Russia 2018.