Cloud9 to continue Valorant roster rebuild after yay exit, according to reports
Cloud9 to continue Valorant roster rebuild after yay exit, according to reports

Cloud9 are looking to make another change to their roster after parting ways with Jaccob ‘yay’ Whiteaker in the aftermath of VCT LOCK//IN, according to multiple reports.

The North American organization is looking to move on from in-game leader Anthony ‘vanity’ Malaspina, according to reports by independent journalist Max Katz and Dot Esports.

The possibility of Cloud9 replacing their in-game leader was first hinted at by Blix.gg Alejandro ‘anonimatum’ Gomis on February 25, before it was confirmed that star player yay would not be part of the team for the VCT 2023 season.

vanity has been with Cloud9 since August 2021, when he was signed from Version1. Before the end of the year, he led the team to the playoffs of Valorant Champions, in Berlin.

Colin Young-Wolff for Riot Gamesvanity joined Cloud9 from Version1 in the summer of 2021

The changes to Cloud9’s Valorant roster come after a top-16 finish at VCT LOCK//IN, in São Paulo. The team beat Paper Rex in the first round before losing out to DRX in a three-map series.

According to Dot Esports, Cloud9 are unwilling to pay a transfer fee to replace yay or vanity and will delve into the free-agent market to find new players. Former Soniqs in-game leader Runi has reportedly already practiced with the team, which has also been linked with nerve, icy, snirot, and Blahst in the off-season.

Cloud9 have little more than two weeks to finalize their roster before the mid-season transfer window closes. The VCT Americas league is scheduled to start on April 1.

Cloud9 Valorant roster:

Nathan ‘leaf’ Orf

Erick ‘Xeppaa’ Bach

Jordan ‘Zellsis’ Montemurro

Mateja ‘qpert’ Mijovic (substitute)

Hasan ‘BlackHeart’ Hammad (substitute)

Keep up to date with all the transfer activity in the Valorant scene with our mid-season live tracker.

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