Sources: Yike set to join Karmine Corp in the LEC

It didn’t take long for Martin "Yike" Sundelin to find a new team in the LEC. The jungler has reached a verbal agreement with Karmine Corp (KC) for the upcoming season of the League of Legends EMEA Championship, sources told Sheep Esports on Thursday. He was one of two players released without a buyout by G2 Esports after their Worlds failure, and was KC's first option. Besides them, Rogue and GIANTX were other possibilities, with the latter having made an offer.

This move ensures that the LEC retains one of its rising stars. Yike is a prime example of the success stories of the European circuit in recent years. After starting his career in the Nordic amateur leagues, he eventually joined France's second division with Team Oplon for one split. In 2022, he moved to the French team LDLC OL in the LFL, a year in which the team dominated the competition. Yike won both splits that year, and placed 2nd and 3rd in the EMEA Masters, losing to Karmine Corp and Team Heretics, who went on to claim the titles.

Having consistently performed at an exceptional level throughout the year, Yike quickly earned a call-up to the LEC, joining none other than Europe’s top organization: G2 Esports. At the time, G2 were in a rebuilding phase after a disappointing domestic final (a 3-0 loss to Rogue in the Summer Split) and a poor showing at Worlds, where they finished last in their group with a 1-5 record.

Yike stepped into a newly built roster with one goal in mind: reclaiming the title of Europe's top team and performing at the highest level internationally. He took over Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski’s position in the jungle and immediately made his mark, winning five of the six possible splits, including the 2023 and 2024 season finals in Montpellier and Munich, respectively. Despite this domestic success, G2 continued to struggle internationally, failing to progress beyond the Swiss Stage at Worlds and experiencing similar disappointment at MSI against eastern teams. Feeling as if they may have hit their ceiling, G2 are now looking to refresh their roster in search of a new dynamic.

For the past two years, Yike has been considered one of the top two junglers in the league, alongside Ivan “Razork” Martin. In 2023 for example, he was named Rookie of the Year. While he has recently adapted to the meta by playing a more versatile champion pool at G2, he is best known for his signature picks from his LFL days, where he could fully take on the role of carrying his team. When a Viego or Lillia is locked in, opponents have good reason to worry. The stats back him up: according to Sheep Stats, Yike is the highest-rated jungler in the LEC with a score of 69/100. He leads in key categories such as KDA, average CSM, DMG/Min, and Gold/Min.

Yike will be the final piece of Karmine Corp's LEC roster. After a disappointing year one in Tier 1 competition, the French organization aims to bounce back as all eyes are on rookie Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert making his debut in the league. With Yike’s arrival, the roster looks to be one that’s no stranger to the high stakes and pressure. The team is now complete:

Header Photo Credit: Michal Konkol/Riot Games