AFC's 3+1 rule allows AFC member association clubs to recruit one player of Asian origin in addition to their regular quota of three foreigners.

It's resulted in talented players from the A-League attracted to clubs in some of the biggest Asian leagues.

Examples include Jade North and Sasa Ognenovski to South Korea, Mark Milligan (pictured), Brendon Santalab and Joel Griffiths to China, Danny Allsopp to Qatar and Adam Griffiths to Saudi Arabia.

And it's believed that Michael Beauchamp of Danish club AaB will sign for a UAE club in the next day or two.

Replacing this type of quality within the A-League has always been a concern - particularly with the rapid expansion plans of the FFA. The league has gone from eight to ten this season and is set to expand to 12 next year.

It's meant that the top echelon of players in the state leagues have become a valuable resource in helping restock the A-League playing rosters with home-based talent. 

However and worryingly for the A-League, is news that one player advisor is apparently fielding calls about Australian players from representatives of clubs in India and Iraq.

India kicks off its new season on October 1 and the professional I-League is expanding by four clubs while the Indian FA adopts the AFC 3+1 rule.

"I've received calls from India and Iraq about players from Australia. I think you'll see a number of second tier players and perhaps A-League players looking at the switch very seriously, particularly with the money on offer," says Tony Rallis, a Sydney based player advisor."It's a huge threat to the game here."

He predicts at least one Australian player will be off to India very shortly. India's football stocks are improving rapidly with their league growing and qualification for the Asian Cup 2011 by its national team.

What's more, current Asian Champions Iraq's Premier league could also see a local player move to the 29-team competition, he predicts.

This news comes on the back of Indonesian club Persipura Jayapura signing Perth Glory striker (on loan from NSW premier league side Sydney Olympic) Matt Mayora.

If the top-tier and second tier Australian players become targets too, this represents a huge threat to the on-going quality of the A-League.

An example of the growing concern can be seen in a push, reported today in the Murdoch press, for a second A-League marquee player.

The PFA-backed proposal states that such a marquee would be an AFC player, which includes Aussies.