Friday 16 January 2015 15:16, UK
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson says he hopes the signing of Andrej Kramaric can be finalised in time for the Croatia forward to play at the weekend.
The Foxes announced last week that they have signed the 23-year-old old on a three-and-a-half-year contract but are waiting for him to be granted a work permit by the Home Office.
The work permit is at issue because Kramaric has not made the required number of international appearances over the past two years.
However, he has been capped at every level from U14 to U21 and has scored twice in his four senior appearances.
Pearson said on Thursday: “We're still waiting for the official confirmation on Kramaric and hopefully that will come before Saturday (when Leicester will host Stoke).
"As to whether he plays, that depends on whether we get the official clearance, but he is in contention.
I'm no legal beagle, I don't know the ins and outs, but we have the backing of the federation (Football Association) and hopefully we will get the official work permit.
"I'm no legal beagle, I don't know the ins and outs, but we have the backing of the federation (Football Association) and hopefully we will get the official work permit."
Leicester got the support of the FA at a hearing on Monday and Pearson told the Leicester Mercury: “We went down for the meeting on Monday and, once we got that effectively sanctioned, he was able to train, and he has done.
“Now it is about overcoming the final hurdle.
“Hopefully, when available, he will have a big impact for us.
“He is a player we have been looking at for more than two years, it is not as if it is something that has just come out of the blue.”
Leicester are also believed to have agreed a £1m fee with Wigan for Scotland international midfielder Shaun Maloney.
But Pearson said: "I'm not in a position to comment further.
"If things don't happen, then the player has to perform for his current club, so it's unfair to talk openly about that."
