Perkz set to join Cloud9 after LCS team agree to G2 Esports’ $5m buyout

❘ Updated: 2020-11-12T23:53:06

Perkz players on stage for G2 Esports at MSI 2019.

Riot Games

Perkz has been a G2 player since 2015.

Luca ‘Perkz’ Perković is set to become the latest European superstar to swap the LEC for the cashed-up North American LCS, with reports confirming G2 Esports’ mid laner will join heavyweights Cloud9 ahead of the 2021 season.

Perkz is regarded by many as one of the greatest European stars to ever play League of Legends. His move away from G2 ⁠— revealed in late October as a shock possibility ⁠— has been the must-watch saga of the 2021 offseason thus far.

Last week, reports had Cloud9 as frontrunners for his signature, ahead of LCS rivals Evil Geniuses, TSM, and 100 Thieves. Team Vitality and Misfits were also in the mix, for a time.

The race to acquire League’s hottest ‘free agent’ appears to now be over; Perkz is set to join Cloud9, according to Jacob Wolf. The 2020 deal is expected to be signed and stamped on Nov. 16, when the free agency window officially opens.

Perkz has played for G2 Esports since 2015, when they were still Gamers2.

The $5m acquisition also leaves Cloud9 with two star mid laners. As far as Dexerto can confirm, C9 will now put Yasin ‘Nisqy’ Dinçer on the LCS trade block.

Perkz’s impending transatlantic swap will leave G2 Esports without a bot laner heading into their impending LEC title defence; they will now dip into the open market. The rest of their roster is contracted through to 2022.

Read more: PowerOfEvil to replace Bjergsen as TSM mid laner

While with G2 Esports, Perkz won eight European titles, and claimed the MSI trophy in 2019. He was named Rookie of the Split in 2016, and made the European All-Pro Team four times. He first joined G2 — then called ‘Gamers2’ — in 2015.

Perkz has played more than 300 games of League of Legends under the G2 Esports banner.

Perkz has played well over 300 games of League of Legends under the G2 Esports banner.

Rumors about potential G2 Esports replacements have already begun swirling behind the scenes too. The hottest tip is the LEC champs will look at their direct rivals, Fnatic, again; Martin ‘Rekkles’ Larsson is currently a free agent.

Read more: YamatoCannon to take over as Fnatic head coach

Elias ‘Upset’ Lipp is another reported frontrunner. The German bot laner has one year left on his contract with Astralis, but may be allowed to leave as the rebranded LEC organization looks to cut costs.

Cloud9 are expected to announce their superstar signing on Nov. 16. Perkz will reunite with former G2 bot laner Jesper ‘Zven’ Svenningsen when he signs. Afonso ‘Mithy’ Rodríguez may also be in line to join Cloud9 as an assistant coach.