Report: Diego Forlan in contact with Adelaide United, Tim Cahill probably to blame

Add A-League's Adelaide United to the extensive list of clubs linked to Uruguayan legend and free agent Diego Forlan (a list which includes a very tenuous link to the New York Red Bulls).

Reporting for Adelaide paper The Advertiser, Val Miglaccio notes Forlan "has become an option" for the reigning A-League regular season and playoffs champion. His source is impeccable: later in the piece, Miglaccio states United chairman Greg Griffin volunteered the news of contact between Forlan's representatives and Adelaide.

A-League looks likely to be increasingly fertile ground for the rumor mill. The Australian top flight has recently introduced a mechanism similar to MLS's Designated Player Rule, in that it will potentially allow clubs to circumvent existing roster restrictions to attract bigger-name players to the league. In the case of MLS, the DP rule was initially dubbed "The Beckham Rule", as it was widely seen as a move inspired almost entirely by the league's desire to bag a highly marketable, superstar soccer player - David Beckham.

In Australia, A-League's recent decision to allow clubs to sign a "guest player" for 12 months (as opposed to the previous limit of about half a season) is widely interpreted as "The Cahill Rule" - Tim Cahill is rumored to be on the verge of signing professional terms with an Australian team for the first time in his career.

Will Forlan take advantage of A-League's newfound flexibility? Despite the reported communication between Adelaide and the Uruguayan, The Advertiser reports United chairman Griffin has said a deal is "unlikely".