Portugal midfielder Adrien Silva's application to be allowed to join Leicester City on a provisional basis has been turned down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Silva's intended move from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon to English Premier League club Leicester was blocked by FIFA because it fell outside the registration period, CAS said.
Leicester bought the 28-year-old just before the transfer window closed on August 31.
However, FIFA, who handle international transfers, received the paperwork moments after the deadline for registration ended.