Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander has signed a new three-year contract with Astralis, the organization announced today.
There were speculations regarding the Danish in-game leader’s future, since his previous contract was set to run out at the end of 2021. Gla1ve would then be able to join another organization for free on January 1.
Gla1ve said during a press conference at IEM Cologne that the future of the team is unclear. Most of the players’ contracts are running out, referring to a tweet from RushBMedia’s Ryan Friend on June 18 that revealed that Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, Andreas “Xyp9x” Højsleth, Emil “Magisk” Reif, and gla1ve would be free to start negotiating with other organizations before their contracts expire.
Gla1ve said he had doubts about signing a new contract with Astralis, the organization he has been playing since October 2016. The 26-year-old guided them to win multiple premier CS:GO tournaments, including four Major championships and revealed that he’s Astralis by heart.
“Astralis is an organization that will always strive to progress, to change the game, and to develop the players–and it is engrained in everyone here that we always compete to win the biggest titles,” gla1ve said.
He can see himself progressing as a player while surrounded by a staff that shares the same ambitions and values. The in-game leader had lots of talks with Astralis’ sports director Kasper Hvidt about the future on how he can develop as a player and how they can improve the team as well.
“There are so many things to achieve and areas to improve even further, and personally I feel confident that Astralis will leave marks on professional Counter-Strike for many years to come,” gla1ve said. “At the same time my girlfriend is expecting our first child later this year, and the safety of knowing I will be met with understanding and flexibility when that time comes means a lot to me. I feel really good about this extension and I’m excited for the coming years on so many levels. I am sure we will have a lot of occasions to celebrate new titles with all the amazing Astralis fans.”
Astralis still has a lot to get done if it wants to keep the same core of players for the next year, though. Magisk, dupreeh, and Xyp9x’ contracts are reportedly running out and they all have been an integral part of the team’s success over the last years.
The Danish organization will also have to sort who will coach them in 2021. It was reported earlier this month that Danny “zonic” Sørensen is considering leaving the organization due to being disappointed with the team’s direction. Nicolai “HUNDEN” Petersen, who’s currently the head coach of Heroic, is reportedly on top of Astralis’ wishlist to command the team in 2021. His future in Heroic has been unclear since he missed IEM Cologne for unknown reasons.
Hvidt commented on how gla1ve has been an instrumental key for the way Astralis developed their game. “His thorough preparation and constant attention to detail have been key to the team’s successes, and the way he continues to contribute with new ideas will also be vital for the coming years,” Hvidt said.
“He is one of the most self-aware players I have worked with and during our talks around the new contract it hit me how hungry and dedicated he really is. We have come far with the team, but as a team and an organization we still have a lot of unredeemed potential in regards to how we work inside and outside the server… With the contract signed, Lukas can focus on his role as an in-game leader, rest easy about his coming fatherhood and think about the long-term development of the strategy and the team’s playbook.”
Securing gla1ve’s services is a massive step for Astralis, who will have a capable captain for three more years. The team had struggled since the departure of its former superstar Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz to Ninjas in Pyjamas in April, but showed signs of life at IEM Cologne of all places, grabbing a top-four finish after G2 knocked them out in a tight semifinals.
We’re at the beginning of the CS:GO summer player break, which will last until Aug. 15, and it’s likely that we’ll see many more deals during this period. Tier-one competition will resume with ESL Pro League Season 14 on Aug. 16.
