According to sources close to Sheep Esports, the 2022 LEC champion, Kim "Malrang" Geun-seong, will not be part of Natus Vincere's team next year. After returning to the LEC this year and role-swapping from jungler to support mid-season, Malrang is leaving NAVI as his contract expires at the end of the year. The Ukrainian organization has already begun its search for new support and may hold tryouts later in the offseason.

A turbulent year for a complicated return

Malrang had left Europe at the end of 2023 through the back door, after losing his status as one of the best junglers in the LEC, notably acquired by his title won a year earlier. But as Rogue made a very late transfer window, Malrang got the opportunity to redeem himself after a disappointing year in CBLOL. Back on the team he had been with, Malrang was also reunited with Larssen in a mid-jungle duo that had been very dominant in the past. Unfortunately, the synergy was no longer there, and Rogue finished last in both the winter and spring splits.

Malrang still makes the transition between Rogue and NAVI and role swaps to the support position to leave the jungle to Francisco "Thayger" Mazo. He then forms a botlane with Lee "Hans SamD" Jae-hoon. However, this change also does not bear fruit, and after a short split where NAVI will not win a single match, the team and Malrang's season comes to an end.

NAVI lays its first foundations

With the upcoming departure of Malrang, NAVI is currently one of the most active teams at the start of this transfer window. With the arrival of Vasilis "TheRock7" Voltis as Head Coach at the beginning of the month, NAVI wanted to take their time to build a solid project for their first full year in the LEC. For the moment, the players secured for next year are the jungler Enes "Rhilech" Uçan and the AD Carry Hans SamD. With this foundation, NAVI is therefore looking for three new players to write a new chapter in its history. A story that will therefore be written without Malrang, whose future remains unknown for the moment.

For more roster changes, check out our Transfers Hub or the Offseason Live Tracker.