Rogue adding FC Shalke 04’s Odoamne, promoting Trymbi in 2021

Veteran top laner Andrei “Odoamne” Pasdu seems to be heading to Rogue, while AGO Rogue support Adrian “Trymbi” Trybus will replace Oskar “Vander” Bagdan.

According to ESPN, Rogue is close to signing former FC Schalke 04 top laner Odoamne. The team will also give rookie support Trymbi a chance to fill the big shoes of Vander. The Polish veteran is on contract with Rogue through the end of the 2021 season, so his contract will be available for buyout. 

These changes would mean that Swedish top laner Finn “Finn” Wiestål will be replaced after a turbulent year. While Rogue made it all the way to the 2020 World Championship, blame was often targeted towards Finn when Rogue didn’t perform. Finn has looked to be the weak link of Rogue throughout the year and he never managed to go toe-to-toe with the best top laners in either the LEC or at Worlds. 

After getting knocked out of Worlds 2020, Rogue started negotiations with former Origen top laner Barney “Alphari” Morris, according to ESPN. Alphari was seemingly torn between joining Rogue or Team Liquid for the 2021 season but ended up taking the multi-year deal overseas. 

Odoamne and Trymbi could make Rogue stronger for 2021

Picking up Odoamne seems like the best choice for Rogue after being unable to secure Alphari. The Romanian top laner has been competing in the LEC for a long while and has the experience needed to go all the way. Odoamne has had stellar performances with H2k Gaming, Splyce, and Schalke, the biggest accomplishment coming at Worlds 2016 when he reached the semifinals with H2k.

On the other hand, Trymbi is a new name that very few people know about. He has been playing for AGO Rogue since June, where he managed to win the 2020 EU Masters Summer event. Having a rookie support to replace Vander is without a doubt a risky choice, but betting on young European talent has paid off for many teams in the past. Rogue will still have a few veterans on the team that can guide Trymbi to success. 

The roster swaps will likely be officially announced shortly after the player free agency window starts on November 16.