Sources – LEC: Jungler Closer to take a break, GIANTX looking for a replacement

In a surprising turn of events, 26-year-old jungler Can "Closer" Çelik is set to take a break from professional League of Legends after just one split with GIANTX in the LEC, sources tell Sheep Esports. His unexpected decision follows a season that started out strong — but ended with an early playoffs exit in fifth place.

Closer informed GIANTX of his decision to take a break this week, just before Spring Split practice began. While sources did not reveal specific details, they confirmed that the Turkish jungler is stepping away for an indefinite period for personal reasons. GIANTX are actively searching for his replacement. The team has already reached out to multiple players and organizations in its hunt for a new jungler, though no decision has been reached.

This situation undoubtedly presents a significant challenge for the Spanish team’s coaching staff, particularly for Head Coach André “Guilhoto” Guilhoto. Ahead of the Winter Split, Guilhoto expressed his full confidence in his new jungler to Sheep Esports. Closer was signed shortly after Martin “Yike” Sundelin — another option considered by GX in the offseason — secured a spot with Karmine Corp.

"We picked him because he’s a great leader," explained Guilhoto in January. "The team needed that." The head coach also highlighted Closer’s performance on previous teams, arguinig that the jungler had been "misused" at Karmine Corp but still showed immense potential. Reflecting on the choice between Yike and Closer, he reaffirmed his offseason priorities: "Looking back, I would always go for Closer. What he brings to the team is invaluable."

Closer's professional journey began in Turkey with Royal Bandits (later rebranded as Royal Youth), where he demonstrated his potential by helping the team secure a spot in the 2019 World Championship. His performances caught the attention of international teams, leading him to join the LCS's Golden Guardians in 2020. The following year, he joined 100 Thieves, where his trophy case expanded — the 2021 LCS Championship joined his 2019 TCL Summer Playoffs victory. Closer competed at Worlds twice with 100T: first in 2021, following the team’s championship victory, and again in 2022. However, on both occasions, he failed to advance beyond the group stage.

In April 2024, Closer returned to Europe to join Karmine Corp, where he made his LEC debut — bringing his versatile and impactful playstyle to a third league. He helped KC turn its fortunes around after two 10th-place finishes in Winter and Spring. The jungler's arrival, along with those of Kim "Canna" Chang-dong and Vladimiros "Vladi" Kourtidis, enabled the Blue Wall to finish the year in 4th place. His time on GX's active LEC roster — though brief — proved that his name sits among Europe's best junglers.