NIP Set to Reassemble CS2 Roster Around Ukrainian r1nkle, Four New Players Expected

Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) are gearing up for a major roster overhaul this off-season, with reports indicating they could potentially replace up to four players. Sources from HLTV and independent reporter Guillaume 'neL' Rathier say Artem "⁠r1nkle⁠" Moroz is the only player likely to stay from the lineup that finished 2024 outside the top 30 in global rankings.

So, what's the plan? Well, NIP is reportedly looking to hand the reins over to Marco "⁠Snappi⁠" Pfeiffer, the experienced Danish IGL who the Falcons recently benched. After a year with the Saudi team, Snappi is ready for a fresh start, and it seems NIP is the perfect place for him. Alongside him, NIP is eyeing Rasmus "⁠sjuush⁠" Beck, the last remaining player on HEROIC after the rest of his team moved to other organizations. It's been reported that Sjuush has been permitted to explore different options, so joining NIP looks very likely.

But that's not all—NIP is also looking to bring in a couple of promising Portuguese players, Rafael "⁠arrozdoce⁠" Wing and Michel "⁠ewjerkz⁠" Pinto. Both were part of the SAW squad that made it to the IEM Cologne 2024 semi-finals and despite some surprising moves during the season, including arrozdoce being benched and ewjerkz being put on the transfer list, they’re now among NIP’s top targets.

This shake-up means the end of Fredrik "⁠REZ⁠" Sterner's time with NIP. The 26-year-old Swedish player, who’s been with the org since 2017, has been a key figure for NIP through thick and thin, so his departure marks a big shift for the team. It seems NIP is ready to move on and build something new.

While bringing in four new players without a solid core is definitely a risky move, NIP is committed to doing what it takes to get back to the top. They've promised to invest the necessary resources to make this rebuild work. While things aren't fully finalized yet, the org confirmed they've been talking to a ton of players and exploring all sorts of options. If these moves do happen, here's what the new NIP lineup could look like in 2025:

• Artem "⁠r1nkle⁠" Moroz (Ukraine)
• Marco "⁠Snappi⁠" Pfeiffer (Denmark)
• Rasmus "⁠sjuush⁠" Beck (Denmark)
• Rafael "⁠arrozdoce⁠" Wing (Portugal)
• Michel "⁠ewjerkz⁠" Pinto (Portugal)
• Richard "⁠Xizt⁠" Landström (Sweden, coach)

This could be a bold new chapter for Ninjas in Pyjamas, as they aim to rebuild and push for the top of the ranks in the upcoming season. Stay tuned for more updates as the new roster takes shape!