The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected Portugal midfielder Adrien Silva's emergency request to join Leicester City on a provisional basis.
Silva signed for Leicester on deadline day in the summer transfer window but the club were 14 seconds late in referring the paperwork to governing body FIFA, who consequently blocked the move.
The Portuguese appealed to CAS against the decision, sport's highest court, and applied for urgent provisional measures which would allow him to join the Foxes until the final appeal was heard.
CAS have since rejected Silva's appeal but said in a statement that proceedings would continue.
"A final decision on the merits will be issued after a hearing, which is yet to be fixed," they said.
Leicester host Manchester City this weekend following the international break.