Team Liquid Places Jamppi, Mistic, and Enzo on Restricted Free Agency
In a recent post on X, Team Liquid revealed that Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen, James "Mistic" Orfila, and Enzo "Enzo" Mestari have been allowed to explore their options as restricted free agents.
The organization emphasized that while the trio remains under contract with Team Liquid, they have been granted the opportunity to consider other possibilities for their future.
However, the statement from Team Liquid also highlighted that this move does not eliminate the possibility of the players returning to the team for the 2025 VCT season.
A Disappointing 2024 Season
This decision follows a difficult 2024 season for Team Liquid, where the team struggled to meet expectations in various regional tournaments.
Their journey began with a 7th-9th place finish at VCT Kickoff EMEA, which saw them miss out on qualifying for VCT Masters Madrid. The struggles continued with a 5th-6th place finish at VCT EMEA Stage 1, leading to another missed opportunity, this time for VCT Masters Shanghai.
The team's poor performance culminated in a disappointing 8th place finish at VCT EMEA Stage 2, where they managed only a single victory against Karmine Corp. This result ultimately meant that Team Liquid missed out on VALORANT Champions 2024, marking the end of a season filled with unfulfilled potential.
Despite their success in the VCT EMEA League 2023, Team Liquid's 2024 season has underscored the need for significant changes.
The Free Agency Market
For Team Liquid, the decision to place Jamppi, Mistic, and Enzo on restricted free agency signals a shift towards rebuilding. While the individual performances of these players were not entirely to blame for the team's struggles, it was evident that the current roster configuration was not yielding the desired results.
The timing of this announcement is particularly notable, coming just days after Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev, the star duelist of Fnatic, declared his entry into restricted free agency. This could also pose as an opportunity to sign some much-needed star power and potentially bring in fresh talent and recalibrate for 2025.
As the VALORANT offseason unfolds, Team Liquid's roster decisions are under close scrutiny. With Jamppi, Mistic, and Enzo potentially moving on, the organization faces a crucial rebuilding phase for 2025. Whether the trio departs or returns, significant changes are imminent for one of EMEA’s most renowned teams.
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Featured Image Source: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
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