Sources: Eika set to Reclaim His Spot with Gentle Mates

His replacement by Jeong “Mireu” Jo-bin last summer caused quite a stir. However, according to Sheep Esports sources, Jérémy “Eika” Valdenaire is set to return to the midlane for Gentle Mates in the upcoming LFL season. Recent changes in M8’s management hinted at this comeback, as Léo “Lounet” Maurice, the new General Manager of the team, shares a close relationship with Eika. The two men had previously won both splits of the 2022 LFL season with LDLC OL before moving to AEGIS in 2023.

Lounet revealed to L'Équipe that he had initially wanted to keep Eika with AEGIS for 2024 but was unable to offer a competitive deal. As a result, this is eventually the GM who joined Eika at Gentle Mates and promptly reinstated him as the starting midlaner. Eika is a veteran of the midlane and a reliable figure in the LFL. Beyond his two titles in 2022, he also claimed the first two LFL championships in 2019, already with LDLC. Additionally, the French midlaner will be reunited at M8 with a former teammate from 2019, Markos “Comp” Stamkopoulos, as previously reported by Sheep Esports.

Eika has had a few brief forays into Tier 1 League of Legends. In 2016, he played a split with Elements in the EU LCS. Four years later, in 2020, he had a stint in the NA LCS with Immortals. However, he never truly competed for top spots at the highest level, finishing 10th in the 2020 Summer Split with IMT. Afterward, he returned to France with LDLC OL. Although 2021 was a difficult year, 2022 therefore marked a turning point, with major success on the French scene. His team that year included notable players like Thomas “Exakick” Foucou and Martin “Yike” Sundelin.

Since that exceptional 2022 season, Eika has struggled to regain the same level of success. Both 2023 and 2024 have been remarkably similar for him. At AEGIS in 2023 and then at M8 in 2024, Eika was a central figure in launching two new LFL projects. Both teams finished 3rd in the Spring Split, though under very different circumstances. For AEGIS, this result exceeded expectations, while for Gentle Mates, third place seemed like the minimum outcome given their high-profile roster. However, this podium finish was not easily achieved, as M8's regular season performance was inconsistent, requiring a strong effort to secure their position.

Dissatisfied with their inaugural split, M8 made the bold decision to part ways with Eika and bring in Mireu. Mireu’s reputation had skyrocketed after a stellar performance at the spring EMEA Masters, where he led Besiktas Esports to the finals. However, his time with M8 turned out to be a disappointment, as the team dropped to 8th place in the Summer Split. Gentle Mates' debut year in the LFL ended on a mixed note, leaving the organization uncertain about continuing in the ecosystem for the next season.