FaZe Clan reportedly adding Kjaerbye for ESL One Cologne 2020

Update August 11: FaZe Clan has officially announced Kjærbye’s signing.

Markus “Kjaerbye” Kjærbye is set to join FaZe Clan.

According to a report by Polish news site cybersport.pl, the Dane will be joining FaZe as a replacement for Aurimas “Bymas” Pipiras. The former North and Astralis rifler left North earlier this year in the middle of ESL’s Road to Rio, citing health issues and forcing the roster to use its head coach, Jimmy “Jumpy” Berndtsson as a stand-in.

The reported move comes after several months of poor performances by FaZe’s international CSGO roster, which lost Olof “olofmeister” Gustafsson on May 25. While the organization originally chose Bymas to fill olof’s shoes, the report indicated that his time with the roster was over after it finished in 11th place at Europe’s second Regional Ranking tournament, CS Summit 6.  Neither Kjaerbye nor the FaZe organization has confirmed the transfer, but FaZe did tease a big announcement on its Twitter account.

Kjærbye’s illness and departure cost North 20% of its Regional Ranking points, the currency earned by teams to secure placement in the upcoming CSGO Major hosted by ESL. Although all signs indicate that the ESL One Rio Major will be scrapped, the tournament organizer has been teasing that a major will be happening.

Want to read more about FaZe and Kjærbye’s rough summer? Check out the articles below:

• Kjærbye’s departure puts North in the RMR hole
• olofmeister leaves FaZe

Famous for his time in the original Astralis lineup, Kjærbye has posted a 1.02 rating and has a -44 kill differential over the past six months. It’s unclear how long talks between FaZe and Kjærbye have gone on for, but it’s likely they started around Kjærbye’s official departure from North on June 10. He was also a part of the Astralis roster that won the ELEAGUE Atlanta Major in 2017, taking home an MVP medal for his efforts.

Kjærbye will join FaZe ahead of its next competition, ESL One Cologne starting on August 18th.