Adrien Silva heads back to Portugal as move to Leicester City left in limbo

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 18 September 2017

Craig Shakespeare confirms that Adrien Silva has been given permission to return to Portugal as Leicester City await a decision from FIFA over his eligibility to play.

Craig Shakespeare has revealed that Leicester City are still attempting to "find the right solution" with Adrien Silva as the Portugal international's future remains in limbo.

The Foxes thought that they had landed the £22m-rated midfielder from Sporting Lisbon on transfer deadline day, only for FIFA to block the transfer as it was 14 seconds past the extended deadline.

Leicester are in the process of appealing against the decision, with an announcement due to be made by the end of the week, but in the meantime Silva is not allowed to train with the club and has therefore been granted permission to return to his homeland.

"He has gone back to Portugal for the time being. He is an expecting father so he spent a bit of time with his family at the weekend. Then we will see what the process brings from now on," he told reporters.

"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 a concern. But I think he is more interested in finding the right solution for here and now."

Silva featured three times for Sporting this season prior to being given the green light to leave, finding the net in his final outing for the Portuguese side in the 5-0 win over Vitoria Guimaraes.