Report: LAFC to launch in 2018; Cristiano Ronaldo wants to play in Los Angeles

If you support or would like to support Los Angeles Football Club, would you be willing to wait an extra year for the team to launch, but also see reigning World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo play for the club?

That's a question that may very much be on the horizon, as Grant Wahl reported two separate but related items in his column on SI.com Wednesday.

First, he reports that the Real Madrid superstar has decided he wants to play for a Los Angeles team when his contract with the UEFA Champions League winners is up in 2018. Though the written column doesn't note any particulars, the accompanying video on the article on SI.com notes that CR7 has not entered any formal discussions with the LA Galaxy or LAFC to this point.

Obviously, if LAFC could land Cristiano Ronaldo as their first big signing, it would be massive. I've already lobbied as much on this very site recently.

However, another key note from Wahl's report. He writes the following:

Meanwhile, I'm told it's looking more likely every day that LAFC won't start play until 2018.

He doesn't place his source, whether with the league or the club or whatever, but Wahl is extremely well connected so I am inclined to believe him. Add to that the lack of any progress on the LAFC front as far as club building, at least on a publicly-revealed level, and with less than two years before the original 2017 entry date, circumstantially it does seem less and less likely everyday that the team will get going in 2017.

So, is it ok if LAFC waits another year to enter MLS, paving the way for Minnesota United FC to jump the line first? Is it better to start the franchise with the most desirable of (realistic) Designated Player targets? Is this possibly a case of more good news than bad news (if LAFC, and not the Galaxy landed CR7, of course)? Leave a comment below!