Seven-Figure VCT China Offer Rejected: Superstar Duelist aspas Joins FUT Esports in VCT EMEA for 2027
For the very first time in his storied career on the official Valorant Champions Tour circuit, Brazilian phenom Erick "aspas" Santos is leaving the Americas league behind. Placed on the inactive bench by MIBR following a trophy-less tenure, the 2022 World Champion reached a verbal agreement on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to join Turkish powerhouse FUT Esports for the 2027 VCT EMEA season. This seismic intercontinental transfer headlines a pivotal day in the offseason alongside two major roster locks across the globe: Logan "skuba" Jenkins renewing his contract with NRG in VCT Americas and Hikaru "CLZ" Mizutani joining Crazy Raccoon in VCT Pacific.
Why aspas Rejected a Multi-Million Dollar China Bid for FUT Esports in VCT EMEA
After cementing his legacy in the Americas with LOUD and Leviatán, Erick "aspas" Santos endured a frustrating two-year spell with MIBR. Despite guiding the Brazilian organization to international appearances at Masters Toronto 2025, Valorant Champions 2025, and the 2026 Esports World Cup, MIBR missed out on qualifying for Valorant Champions 2026 in Shanghai, snapping aspas's personal streak of attending every World Championship since 2022. Following MIBR's decision to bench its active lineup, the 23-year-old duelist made competing in either VCT EMEA or VCT China his top priority for 2027, with one non-negotiable condition: joining a roster built to lift international trophies immediately.
Weighing two heavyweight offers, aspas ultimately turned down a staggering seven-figure, multi-million dollar contract from an undisclosed VCT China franchise. After reaching a mutual agreement with MIBR to authorize his transfer, he verbally committed to FUT Esports on Tuesday morning. The move marks a historic shift for the Istanbul-based organization, which is departing from its traditional all-Turkish roster identity and transitioning to English in-game communication to accommodate the Brazilian superstar.
In Berlin, aspas will spearhead a ferocious Turkish core featuring former Team Heretics standout Mert "Wo0t" Alkan, clutch anchor Eray "yetujey" Budak, and Okan "KROSTALY" Alaçam, while former Fire Flux Esports talent Berkay "hezacoil" Doğar is heavily linked to round out the starting five. The signing escalates an already ruthless European arms race, arriving right as Derke, Boo, and trexx headline new VCT EMEA 2027 contenders across the region.
VCT Americas and VCT Pacific Updates: skuba Renews With NRG, CLZ Joins Crazy Raccoon
While aspas's jump to Europe dominates the headlines, two additional franchise moves have solidified key lineups in North America and Asia. In VCT Americas, partner organization NRG has locked in continuity by agreeing to a contract extension with controller and sentinel specialist Logan "skuba" Jenkins for the 2027 campaign. Retaining skuba alongside foundational pillars Ethan and mada ensures NRG preserves its defensive cohesion heading into an Americas season already reshaped by TenZ's high-profile return to VCT competition for 2027.
Meanwhile in VCT Pacific, Japanese fan-favorite organization Crazy Raccoon, recently selected by Riot Games as a partnered team for the 2027 to 2028 cycle, has secured veteran Hikaru "CLZ" Mizutani. Known for his stints with FENNEL, ZETA DIVISION, and DetonatioN FocusMe, CLZ brings seasoned tactical leadership to a revamped Crazy Raccoon squad built around returning star duelist Ibuki "Meiy" Seki, akame, initiator Aace, and head coach Vorz.
The Strategist's Take
Pairing Erick "aspas" Santos with Mert "Wo0t" Alkan and Eray "yetujey" Budak on FUT Esports is easily the most terrifying mechanical trio assembled in the VCT 2027 offseason so far. Historically, FUT Esports boasted elite Turkish rifling power but occasionally stalled out in mid-round adaptations against disciplined European giants like Fnatic and Team Heretics. By bringing in the most consistent entry duelist and Operator player in Valorant history, I see FUT solving its biggest structural ceiling overnight: aspas creates space on Jett, Raze, and Neon while barely ever giving up untraded opening deaths. If this roster smooths out its English communication protocols before VCT EMEA Kickoff, they have the raw firepower to dominate Berlin and contend for a Masters trophy right out of the gate.
Born and based in Montreal's Mile End district, Maëlle "Kaelen" became close friends with Chaya during their university software engineering years, bonding over late-night coding labs, campus LANs, and World of Warcraft raids alongside Grimtag and Heimdall. A game systems balancing consultant and lifelong theorycrafter, she cut her teeth in the early 2010s writing boss walkthroughs, frame-data breakdowns, and competitive meta guides for specialized French-language MMORPG and esports portals, including Mondes Persistants, as well as North American strategy collections. On Pro-Gamer, she leads in-depth walkthroughs, build optimization, and tactical esports coverage.
