Sources: Oscarinin remains with Fnatic, Wunder declined offer to join a six-man roster

The offseason was anything but quiet for Fnatic. Following a fourth-place finish in the LEC Spring Split, the organization initiated a shake-up in the midlane, replacing Marek "Humanoid" Brázda with Yun "Poby" Sung-won, a player from T1 Esports Academy. However, sources tell Sheep Esports, the Czech veteran was not the only member whose position was under scrutiny in recent weeks. Fnatic also actively explored potential alternatives in the toplane, evaluating whether to part ways with Óscar “Oscarinin” Muñoz.

After considering various options, including the one of sharing the toplane spot with another player, the organization will stick with its current player for the Summer Split.

Among the most seriously considered names was Martin "Wunder" Hansen. The team reportedly explored three possible scenarios for bringing the Danish veteran — who previously played for Fnatic between 2022 and 2023 — back into the fold. These included reinstating him as the starting toplaner in place of his successor, and integrating him into the staff as a positional coach. Ultimately, the club offered Wunder a role within a six-man roster rotation — a proposal he opted to decline.

Beyond Wunder, Fnatic cast a wide net across the ERL landscape in search of viable toplane options. The organization entered discussions with Karmine Corp Blue regarding Volodymyr "Maynter" Sorokin, held talks with Misa Esports about Baek "Mihile" Sang-hwi, and explored the possibility of signing Los Heretics' Sebastian "Tracyn" Wojtoń. Fnatic also requested VODs for Francesco "Shelfmade" Cardia (BIG) and Panagiotis "Empyros" Tantis (Gentle Mates).

In addition to Poby, the organization thought about bringing in a second player from the LCK CL, having considered Hanwha Life Esports Challengers’ toplaner Shin “Rooster” Yun-hwan — who chose to join Team BDS instead. Unlike the options explored above, Rooster was a real candidate.

Ultimately, none of these potential moves therefore materialized, and Fnatic will head into the Summer Split with Oscarinin holding his position. This outcome may not necessarily be viewed as bad news for the organization, as the Spanish toplaner remains among the upper echelon of his role within the LEC. Though he was notably outclassed by an outstanding Kim “Canna” Chang-dong (Karmine Corp) during the spring, he still belongs to the small group of players who could reasonably contend for the title of second-best toplaner in the league.

The issue, however, is that this distinction has been shaped in part by the underperformance of Sergen "BrokenBlade" Çelik (G2 Esports). Moreover, Oscarinin continues to lack the versatility displayed by Alex "Myrwn" Villarejo (Movistar KOI). He may also soon face additional pressure from one of the LEC’s rising prospects, Kaan "Naak Nako" Okan (Team Vitality).

In other words, if Oscarinin has already reached his ceiling, it may not be enough for Fnatic to finally break their long-standing title drought — a championship that has eluded them since Summer 2018. "We need to really think more about how we approach scrims", said Oscarinin in an interview with Sheep Esports after Fnatic Spring Split's elimination. "We also have to work on communication in general—how we talk—and probably make more plans in-game. But that also improves with how you scrim, because through repetition and everything, you get into the right game states, and it becomes easier to do. Everything starts with scrims, it’s something everyone has to think about."

With the addition of Poby, Fnatic may be able to establish a new dynamic, find the right rhythm in scrims, and improve their communication systems — despite the language barrier introduced by their new midlaner. This fresh start could provide the top laner with another opportunity to tap into the necessary resources and finally reach the level of performance that has long been expected of him.

For more roster changes, don't forget to check out our Transfers Hub. You can also stay updated with the latest leaks and official roster changes with our Offseason Tracker.