Diego Forlan leaves Brazil to join Cerezo Osaka of Japan, but were the Chicago Fire really an option?

Diego Forlan with Uruguay

If Uruguay national team star Diego Forlan joins an MLS club, it won't happen before January 2015. 


That's because the MVP of the 2010 World Cup has joined Japanese club Cerezo Osaka through the end of 2014.


But the day before Forlan tweeted out confirmation of his move from Brazil (Internacional) to Japan's J-League, rumors surfaced of a potential arrival in Chicago with the Fire. They turned out to be false and a Fire spokesperson on Thursday confirmed that the club was not in the running for the Uruguayan's signature.


However, although Chicago was not a candidate as a Forlan landing spot, MLSsoccer.com has learned that the player's reps were in talks with a different MLS club about a possible January arrival.


Reports of MLS interest in Forlan date back to his days with Atletico Madrid. The Seattle Sounders were linked with the attacking midfielder as were Toronto FC, where a Globe and Mail article virtually announced his arrival.