FIFA has confirmed that the Football Association has asked it to rubber stamp Adrien Silva's £22 million transfer to Leicester.
Silva has been in limbo after the Foxes missed the transfer deadline by 14 seconds when trying to sign him from Sporting Lisbon last month.
It meant FIFA withheld the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) for the Portugal midfielder, and Leicester have been preparing an appeal since then.
A FIFA spokesman told Press Association Sport: "The Football Association has requested a formal decision of the single judge of the Players' Status Committee be authorised to request the ITC for the player Adrien Silva outside the registration period and register him with Leicester City.
"The matter is currently pending, and therefore we are not in a position to comment further."
The single judge usually makes a decision within 30 days following receipt of a valid request, meaning the Silva saga could be resolved by the end of next month.
Without the ITC, Silva will not be registered as a City player until the next transfer window opens in January.
The 28-year-old is currently not allowed to train with the Foxes but has been working with fitness coaches at their Belvoir Drive training ground.
And manager Craig Shakespeare told a news conference: "I am a bit like everyone else and reading the FA are backing us.
"I think we are letting the process take its course, but every day I ask: How long is the process? No one can give me an answer because it is such a unique situation.
"So my frustration is the same as everyone else's, the supporters, the club and the player. We are waiting to be told. So far, I have no indication of a time frame."