- Adam Maanane is reportedly joining the Fnatic lineup for the new bout of competitive games
- He could be replacing the incumbent, Bwipo, who has expressed reluctance to change positions
- Fnatic continues to seek better performance after finishing 9-9 in the 2021 LEC Spring Split
Adam Maanane is reportedly joining Fnatic’s lineup in a $292K deal that would potentially see Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau leave the team.
Fnatic Refreshes Top Lane with Adam Maanane addition
Fnatic will pay a dear penny, around $292,000 to secure Adam Maanane from Karmine Corp sources have told Dot Esports. Adam will step in as a top laner for Fnatic and he’s part of a growing trend whereby esports athletes are being transacted at increasing amounts, similar to mainstream sports.
No details about the player’s salary were disclosed, but he will be entitled to a $12,000 bonus depending on how he performs in the Spring Split and another $15,000 bonus during the Summer Split, once contractual goals are achieved, the email obtained by the publication explained.
Adding Adam to the Fnatic mix means that the incumbent, Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau, may be dropped or relegated to another position, or simply stick around as a backup player. Bwipo could be shifted to a jungle role, something that he has proven himself good at, but according to Dot Esports, this is not something that the player would be ultimately happy with.
Bwipo Not Looking to Stay, Talks Performance
He has previously denied a contract extension, which could point to the fact that he is indeed interested in continuing to play in the top lane, even if that would mean he has to find a new home. Of course, all of that is still speculation, but the addition of Adam seems as good as in the bank.
Bwipo in the meantime previously commented that he would not want to tarnish the team’s reputation by appearing as part of the team if he wasn’t delivering the necessary performance that the team expected from him, which does him credit.
Fanatic completed a decent 2021 LEC Spring Split, finishing on a 9-9 record, not too great, but then again definitely not showing signs of weakness either with some very contested games throughout the period.
The addition of Adam should add to the team’s staying power in the upcoming split and help it improve on last season’s performance.
