Report: Cristiano Ronaldo crosses New York off list of future career destinations, only has eyes for LA

Remember back in March when Grant Wahl reported Cristiano Ronaldo had hatched a plan to come to MLS in 2018 (when his current contract with Real Madrid expires), and was considering "Miami, Los Angeles and New York"?

Wahl does, and he's followed that report with an update: CR7 has narrowed down his options to...Los Angeles. That's it. Ronaldo's evolving thoughts about MLS are now, reportedly, focused squarely and exclusively on LA.

That is convenient news for LA FC, the expansion club thought to be arriving in MLS in 2017 but now rumored to be deferring its debut to 2018. If a little more time buys the new team its own stadium and a superstar, that's not a terrible trade-off at all.

Of course, LA FC will need to compete with LA Galaxy, a team that exists right now and knows a thing or two about attracting the attention of global soccer stars.

But the big news in this story is CR7 apparently does not want to come play in New York, which means CR7 does not want to come play for the New York Red Bulls. Or NYC FC. Or even the Cosmos, who will be in the market for new star players shortly, since Marcos Senna is 38 and Raul is 37.

Of course, the transfer rumor mill is notoriously fluid in its affections. Today, it may be smiling on LA with regard to CR7, but there is a lot of time between now and 2018. One might recall there was a time Frank Lampard was definitely going to LA. And then he wasn't, and Steven Gerrard was saying his England teammate was "too good" for the Galaxy.

And now Gerrard is heading to the Galaxy this summer, while Lampard (we assume for real, this time) will soon be arriving to play for NYC FC.

So the CR7 to RBNY dream is dead. For now.

Take all the time you need between now and 2018, Cristiano. No requirement to make a hasty decision. We'll leave a light on for you.