Sources: Fnatic in talks to add BONECOLD as VCT Masters stand-in
Jianhua Chen/Riot GamesFnatic are locked in discussions with Acend to add Santeri ‘BONECOLD’ Sassi to their roster for the VCT Stage 1 Masters in Iceland, sources have told Dexerto.
Fnatic are weighing up their options as it is looking increasingly unlikely that their team will be able to travel to Iceland with their latest recruit, Andrey ‘BraveAF’ Gorchakov.
Visa issues could rule the Russian player, who replaced Domagoj ‘Doma’ Fancev in the starting line-up in January, out of the international event, forcing Fnatic to explore other options.
Lance Skundrich, Riot GamesTo that effect, the British organization signed former Rix.GG Thunder member Tom ‘otom’ Hart as a substitute player on March 3.
However, Fnatic have been alerted to the sudden availability of BONECOLD, who was moved to the bench on March 23, and have already enquired Acend about a potential deal for the Finnish player.
International success
BONECOLD has been in Acend’s ranks since the organization entered Valorant, in March 2021. He played an important role as the team became the first-ever Valorant world champions after beating Masters 3 winners Gambit in a nail-biting five-map grand final in Berlin.
But Acend have found it difficult to maintain the same level of consistency in 2022, with the team crashing out of VCT EMEA Challengers 1 in the group stage with a 2-3 record.
On Twitter, Acend’s Head of Esports, Mark ‘Krimson’ Senior, explained that the team’s culture had changed over time and that a difference of opinion about how the game should be played had resulted in BONECOLD’s benching.
For the team as a whole we felt that over time the culture has changed within. The way in which the core of our team see the game and how they want to play it has moved away from the way Bonecold sees it.
— ACE Krimson (@KrimsonAer) March 23, 2022
Along with FunPlus Phoenix, Fnatic are one of the first two teams confirmed for VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters, which will take place in Reykjavik between April 10 and 24.
The two teams will square off later on March 25 in the upper bracket final of VCT EMEA Challengers, a tournament that has €200,000 on offer.
