by Ninjas in Pyjamas have reportedly completed their Counter-Strike: Global Offensive roster with the addition of a Natus Vincere Academy player. The latest recruit will be expected to take on Patrick “es3tag” Hansen’s position on the roster of the Swedish esports franchise.
According to an esports reporter and investigator Luis Mira, Ninjas in Pyjamas are considering signing NaVi Junior CS:GO player Danyyl “headtr1ck” Valitov. The 18-year-old Ukrainian is considered one of the most promising academy players and has already played as a substitute for the main NAVI CS:GO team in tournaments such as the ESL Pro League Season 15 and BLAST Premier: Fall Groups 2022.
“According to sources, NIP are interested in @headtr1ckcs to fill the vacant spot on their roster,” Mira tweeted.
In September 2022, Natus Vincere announced that they were open to offers for headtr1ck, and as such the Ukrainian player is now available to be signed by other CS:GO teams.
NiP have had a rocky start to the year, with a string of disappointing results and roster changes. However, with the addition of headtr1ck, the organization is hoping to turn things around and compete at the highest level once again.
The 18-year-old player is comfortable using both rifles and AWPs in the game, making them a good fit for NiP’s roster. Yesterday, NiP benched es3tag, who released a statement saying that he will be taking some time to determine what is best for him next. It is uncertain if there will be any further updates on es3tag’s situation in the near future.
Headtr1ck has impressive statistics to support his reputation as a skilled player. According to HLTV, he had a rating of 2.0, an impact of 1.27, an average damage of 87.2, and a low 0.62 deaths per round in 2022. These strong numbers explain why top teams are considering him as a potential new member.
It remains to be seen how Bheadtr1ck will fit in with the rest of the NiP roster, but the organization is confident that his skills and eagerness to learn will help elevate the team to new heights. While the 2016 IEM champions are yet to confirm the addition of the Ukrainian, headtr1ck’s signing will see NiP in full gear for the upcoming season, with the franchise ready to take on any challenge that comes their way.
NiP will be participating in the IEM Katowice 2023 tournament, which starts on January 31. With only a month until the first major tournament of the year, the organization is keen to quickly fill the vacancy left by es3tag’s departure.
