Sources: Keine set to join Dignitas in the LTA North

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According to Sheep Esports sources, Kim “Keine” Joon-cheol has reached a verbal agreement with Dignitas for the inaugural season of the revamped North American league, LTA North. The Korean midlaner first arrived in the Americas in 2022 to play in the LLA with XTEN Esports, and — following a teamless first split of 2024 — Keine joined Movistar R7 (now Lyon Gaming) for the second split, where he secured the first title of his career at the LLA Closing and moved on to his first international event: Worlds 2024.

Dignitas reached a buyout agreement with Movistar R7 for the midlaner, who was one of their top choices for the roster — the team began pursuing an agreement with R7 early in the offseason.

Keine made a good first impression on the international stage, particularly with standout performances on LeBlanc and Syndra. According to our Sheep Stats rating, he was the top midlaner in the play-in stage, achieving a score of 71/100. Movistar R7 came within a single game of reaching the Main Event but ultimately fell to paIN Gaming in a dramatic 45-minute showdown — a heartbreaking defeat that ended the team’s season. Lyon Gaming, Keine’s former team, is also set to join LTA South next season.

At Dignitas, Keine will replace seasoned veteran Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen. The American organization had assembled an experienced roster for the 2024 Summer Split, aiming to finally claim its first title before the LCS came to an end. Finishing fourth in the regular season, Dignitas fell short in the playoffs, losing twice to 100 Thieves — first in the upper bracket and then in the lower bracket. Despite being a staple in the North American scene, the team is still chasing glory.

The disappointment deepened as Dignitas, despite one of their strongest rosters to date, failed to qualify for Worlds. The club’s last and only appearance at the biggest esports event was back in 2012, an ill-fated venture in which Dignitas failed to secure a single win in the group stage. Keine will face a considerable challenge to help Dignitas break the curse and reclaim their place on the international stage.