Just four days before
CGN Esports' opening match at
VALORANT Challengers EMEA Stage 3, the organization is finalizing a roster change. According to sources close to
Sheep Esports, Portuguese player David “
DaviH” Cruz is set to join
LOUD ahead of
VCT Americas Stage 2 in a buyout deal. As a result, he will no longer compete with CGN Esports in the upcoming tournament.
To replace him on short notice, CGN has opted to recruit Yaroslav “Jady” Nikolaev, who most recently played for Galions during the Last Chance Qualifier of the same competition. At the same time, LOUD remains highly active during the break between stages, completing a second roster move following the arrival of Enzo “tkzin” Zimiani, as previously reported by Sheep Esports. It remains unclear which player DaviH is expected to replace within the Brazilian lineup.
A familiar last-minute situation
For the second time this season, CGN Esports finds itself forced to make a roster change shortly before a major competition. Prior to the VCL DACH Stage 1 final in March, the organization parted ways with Blendi “kovaQ” Kovaci after he received an opportunity to join FunPlus Phoenix. CGN subsequently brought back former player DaviH to help secure the title, a move that paid immediate dividends as the team claimed a dominant 3–0 victory. The organization continued its success thereafter, winning Stage 2 and qualifying for VCL EMEA Stage 3.
This time, however, DaviH finds himself on the opposite side of the equation. Having returned to support CGN earlier in the season, he now departs after receiving the first VCT opportunity of his career. The organization agreed to release him in exchange for a transfer fee and will now rely on Jady to fill the vacancy. The Russian player has been a familiar face within Tier 2 VALORANT for several years, particularly in the French Challengers ecosystem, where he won the VCL France title with Valiant in 2025.
Meanwhile, with two new additions already brought into the roster, LOUD hopes to inject fresh energy into the lineup. Although the Brazilian organization has shown signs of improvement domestically in recent months, significantly stronger performances will be required if it hopes to secure qualification for Champions, a tournament the team has not attended since 2024.
