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South Korean Valorant star Kim "Lakia" Jong-min has returned to Vision Strikers, leaving Nuturn Gaming. The former today announced his return through their Twitter handle.
The tweet reads:
"A familiar face returns home from Nuturn. Welcome back to the squad."
Vision Strikers' new Valorant roster
Lakia started his Valorant career last year with Vision Strikers. But within a few weeks, he decided to leave and joined Nuturn Gaming. The pro won the Valorant Champions Tour 2021: Korea Stage 2 Challengers with Nuturn, beating Damwon Gaming in the Grand Final.
He also represented his country at the Valorant Champions Tour 2021: Stage 2 Masters Reykjavík, where Nuturn Gaming finished as the second runners-up. Lakia was the MVP for his side throughout the tournament with some excellent clutches.
However, on July 1st, i.e., yesterday, Lakia announced his departure from Nuturn Gaming after a year of dominance. He revealed his decision with an emotional note on Twitter:
"My journey with Nuturn has come to a close today. To Nuturn Gaming, who gifted me such wonderful memories and experiences, I express my perpetual gratitude and with them the luck in the future. Regarding the next chapter of my career, I will return with some exciting news soon."
Today, Vision Strikers announced the return of Lakia ahead of the Valorant Champions Tour 2021: Korea Stage 3. It is undoubtedly a big blow for Nuturn Gaming to lose such an important player ahead of some crucial tournaments.
But it is a significant boost to Vision Strikers. They will surely want to win the Valorant Champions Tour 2021: Korea Stage 3 Challengers and qualify for the Valorant Champions Tour 2021: Stage 3 Masters Berlin.
However, it will be interesting to see who Lakia replaces in the squad in the coming days. With his addition, Vision Strikers currently have a seven-man roster:
- Kim "Stax" Gu-taek
- Goo "Rb" Sang-Min
- Lee "K1ng" Seung-won
- Kim "Zest" Gi-seok
- Yu "Buzz" Byung-chul
- Kim "Mako" Myeong-kwan
- Kim "Lakia" Jong-min
