High Impact Transfers Can Turn Around These Teams' Seasons
With the transfer window closed, RLCS X teams have settled on their newest rosters as they set their eyes on the Winter Split. There were a lot of transfers across the regions, but these could prove to be some of the biggest deals of the transfer window. All of these players have proven they can compete at the highest level, but a change of scenery might be just what they need to take their team to the next level.
Yukeo to Fadeaway and ApparentlyJack to Dignitas
This deal has real potential to be a win-win for both of these teams. Maurice "Yukeo" Weihs has been a mainstay in the RLCS since his Season 5 debut with FlipSid3 Tactics. Along with that, his new teammates Sandro "FreaKii" Holzwarth and Maik "Tigreee" Hoffmann have been competing at the top tier for a while. The addition of another talented veteran could flip around a squad that has flashed potential, but has lacked any major victories this season. Fadeaway was able to qualify for the Fall Major, but failed to make it past the Swiss stage.
Yukeo should be a boon for the team when competing against other top tier teams, that will be necessary for Fadeaway to improve on their ninth-place finish in Circuit Points at the end of the Fall Split. Yukeo will be moving from Dignitas who is currently tenth, so while the positioning in the standings isn't a major difference at the top, Fadeaway has the potential to break away from his former team. Dignitas only finished fourteenth in the Grid, so Yukeo will be happy to be on a team that has the potential to put up much better results.
His most recent performance saw him post the ninth highest rating of all players in the EU Fall Major, according to Octane.gg. All signs say that if Yukeo can play at his top level, Fadeaway could break even further into the top ten and establish themselves as a solid force in the Winter Split.
- Read More - Five Breakout Players From RLCS X: Fall Split
For Dignitas, the addition of Jack "ApparentlyJack" Benton could play a huge role in the team's future. The days of Dignitas dominance are gone, but that doesn't mean they can't return. Yukeo is a strong player, but sometimes the team dynamics just don't work out, and the players don't execute well together. Adding a player like ApparentlyJack can give the team a fresh perspective. Along with this, he is a rising star on the scene and has the potential to become a key player for a top tier team, and could end up becoming a significantly more impactful player than Yukeo on Dignitas. The team has struggled all year, but this addition could be looked back on at the end of the year as the turning point for the team's season.
Former PlotTwist Players Make An Impact
Alexandre Reis "Taroco" Pedrogam and Gianluca "sosa" Petrozza were members of the underperforming PlotTwist roster that placed only fifteenth in the Fall Split. Both of their new teams are on the brink of the top ten. While the teams could have settled, these two players are good enough to push them into that next level. First and foremost, obviously, Taroco's replacement of Cameron "Kronovi" Bills was a surprise to many fans. Kronovi wasn't one of the best in the league for the past split, so, understandably, the team would prioritise team chemistry when they could find a player who could fill his shoes.
Taroco should be able to fill Kronovi's spot capably and even play better, given the troubles the team was having behind the scenes. The new motivation for the players will be an added bonus to a player who has the potential to play to a higher level than Kronovi had consistently shown this past split. Although Rogue finished eighth, they never really contested the big teams in a way that is needed if this squad wants to send a message to the league.
Sosa, meanwhile, headed to the Pittsburgh Knights. This seems like a similar situation to Taroco's replacement of Kronovi. While sosa isn't necessarily a superstar, he is a replacing a player that, at worst, will probably put up results similar to what the team was getting before. The Knights only finished in eleventh in the Fall Split which leaves lots of room for improvement. Teams like XSET, Frontline, and Rogue all represent beatable opposition for this new Knights squad that could push well into the top ten if sosa's addition lives up to its potential.
Both of these former Plot Twist players represent solid building blocks for their respective teams and should be watched as the Winter Split begins. While neither of them has established themselves as a world-class player, coming to a new team presents several new factors like new teammates, practice routine, and often can simply boost motivation. If these players can improve on their Fall Split performances, Rogue and Knights might finally begin to compete with the top tier teams in a way they failed to so far this season.
Images via ZeeboDesigns
