According to sources close to Sheep Esports, Burak "LêwN" Alkan has reached a verbal agreement with Karmine Corp to join the VALORANT roster for the 2026 VCT season. To complete the move, KCorp has agreed to pay a buyout to BBL Esports, the club to which the Turkish player is currently contracted until 2027, according to the Global Contract Database.

The decision by Karmine Corp to pay the buyout fee can also be explained by the value BBL managed to build around its starting five and coaching staff in 2025, as well as by the long-term contract of the Turkish player. That season, and the combination of talent within the roster, allowed the Turkish organization to return to the top of the EMEA standings after a very rough start to its VCT journey. When the club decided to sign the full Pacific Esports roster, LêwN was left looking for a new opportunity—and it’s the French organization led by Kamel “Kamet0” Kebir that allows him to continue his adventure in 2026.

Joining BBL before the start of the 2025 VCT cycle, he rose from the lower-tier Turkish circuits to the EMEA league without any real adjustment period. He quickly proved himself on the regional stage and consistently performed at a strong level against the top European teams. He’s recognized as an impactful player capable of taking on Duelist roles depending on the map, showing the skill level necessary to help his team reach playoff stages in 2025. Beyond a 5th–6th place finish during the Kickoff, BBL reached the final four in all subsequent events, taking a Top 4 in Stage 1 and even a third-place finish in Stage 2. That podium spot, just one step away from the grand final, ultimately deprived the organization of a shot at its first Champions appearance after a clean 0–3 loss to GIANTX.

The end of the offseason for KC

From Karmine Corp’s perspective, this move aligns with the vision established during KCX 4, when the club unveiled its ambitious 2025 roster built around Matias "Saadhak" Delipetro (IGL), Dmitry "SUYGETSU" Ilyushin, Efe "Elite" Teber, Hazem "avez" Khaled, and Martin "marteen" Pátek. Despite such a high-profile lineup, KC didn’t quite manage to fully realize its potential on the international stage throughout 2025, often finishing in the middle of the standings. KC struggled to close the gap with powerhouse teams like FNATIC, Liquid, or Team Heretics.

To accompany LêwN, only SUYGETSU and avez will remain from the 2025 season, meaning two additional signings are coming. Alongside him join Bogdan "Sheydos" Naumov from KOI and Dastan "dos9" Zhumagali from BOOM Esports, completing Karmine Corp’s renewed lineup for 2026.

Karmine Corp roster for 2026:

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