The past few weeks have been particularly hot in terms of Counter-Strike transfers. However, the best player in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has been notably absent from the news. Today, the CS.MONEY Blog will discuss where and when s1mple might continue his career.
Luckily, skins in Counter-Strike aren’t as expensive as s1mple’s buyout, so head over to CS.MONEY and build your perfect inventory without overpaying.
When does s1mple’s contract expire?
Let’s first talk about s1mple’s contract situation. The Ukrainian player’s contract with Natus Vincere ends in 2025, but when exactly? A three-year extension was announced in mid-October, but that’s in the middle of the season, so his contract likely expires either at the end of December or in August when players traditionally take their summer break.
This means that for the first half of the year, s1mple’s contract will likely still be in effect, which means that teams wanting to acquire him will have to pay a premium. Only a few teams will be able to afford such a buyout.
Will s1mple Return to Natus Vincere?
The probability of this happening is close to zero. There are several reasons for this: first, it’s due to coach B1ad3’s approach. If you look at a recent interview with Duncan “Thorin” Shields, it’s clear that he is very against roster changes because even one player swap sets the entire team back at least two months, if not six. For B1ad3, substitutions are a last resort, used when a team has reached its potential, but this is not the case with the current Natus Vincere roster.
The second reason could be s1mple’s relationship with Natus Vincere. After almost ten years together, it’s impossible to have no issues between the two sides. Based on s1mple’s current behaviour, it seems like he feels stuck in a “contract jail,” and the organization is unwilling to make major concessions when it comes to offering him more playtime. His three-month loan to Team Falcons was more of an exception, as the Saudi club can afford such a move.
Along with s1mple, a major media presence follows, and surely a substantial salary request as well. For this reason, we’ll consider five teams that, in a few months, may be able to afford both s1mple’s salary and media demands.
FaZe Clan
Let’s start with the team that is synonymous with hype in esports. For a long time, FaZe Clan built itself around its media presence, and an additional boost from s1mple would not hurt. Although the club has recently become more rational with its finances, signing s1mple once he becomes a free agent makes sense. Broky is not quite an elite AWPer, and if FaZe underperforms in the first half of the season, some roster changes will make sense. Moreover, the team already has EliGE, who shared a memorable moment with s1mple when they both took a shot from Coldzera on Mirage.
Team Liquid
Once, a young s1mple played for Team Liquid, and this club is quite familiar to him. It’s a large enough organization that could afford to pay s1mple a significant salary if he joins as a free agent.
Currently, Team Liquid is just one or two changes away from having a very strong lineup, and Ultimate is not performing well enough to meet the the Tier-1 level. Something interesting is possible happen this summer.
Heroic
While FaZe Clan and Team Liquid might be dream teams (or at least very good outcome) for some, Heroic offers a more compromising option. Heroic is an organization that has earned a lot of money by discovering talents and reselling them. We’re sure the trio of players who left for Team Falcons brought in a significant sum that Heroic could invest in a new roster.
The question is whether Heroic is ready to raise its ambitions significantly. Given the current situation with Astralis, bringing in s1mple would immediately make Heroic the top team in Denmark in all aspects except legacy. Furthermore, they could then recruit interesting players to complement s1mple, who would generate significant hype. There may not be an immediate success on the server, but the club would gain numerous external benefits.
Fnatic
Once an elite club with three major titles, Fnatic is now going through more modest times. Similar to Heroic, signing s1mple as a free agent would provide a major media boost. Fnatic has undergone a restructuring, with two Ukrainian players joining the team. If the young Burmylov doesn’t shine, s1mple could be the ideal replacement for both the club and the player, as he will have a chance for a redemption arc.
Ninjas in Pyjamas
Finally, we leave this option as a possibility because Ninjas in Pyjamas are doing everything they can to stay on the esports radar, but management decisions are raising some questions. The real question here is how appealing s1mple would be to the organization. However, if all other options fall through, Ninjas in Pyjamas would certainly be happy to invite such a renowned player to revive interest in their brand.
We’re eagerly following s1mple’s journey and wish him the best in returning to the Tier-1 scene to show off his skills in Counter-Strike 2!
