The Football Association will demand that Nicolas Anelka serves out his five-match ban for making the quenelle gesture before he can start playing for his new team, Mumbai City in India.

Anelka made the gesture, a Nazi-style salute, during a Premier League match in December 2013. He claimed at the time that it was a tribute to his friend, the antisemitic French comedian Dieudonne M'bala.

The 35 year old former French international has paid £80,000 in fines but so far has avoided the five-game suspension imposed by the FA, having failed to sign for a new club since being sacked by West Bromwich Albion.

The FA confirmed that it had not yet received an international transfer request from the Indian Mumbai City football club.

It is understood that when Mumbai city makes this request, the FA will inform the club and Fifa of the outstanding match ban and ask that they uphold the sanction.

But should Anelka sign for Mumbai City, in the new Indian Super League, the FA would not insist that he complete the educational course which was part of his punishment.

The Indian Super League lasts only 10 weeks between October and December and it is reported the player will be paid $750,000 or just over £460,00 over three months. Anelka is then due to play in Malaysia once the Indian league is over.