Gentle Mates has agreed to sign 16-year-old Romanian player Denis-Stephan "kozzy" Ionitaiaie for the VCT 2027 season, as reported by Sheep Esports. The organization secured the player's services during the off-season despite receiving offers from several other EMEA teams.
kozzy emerged as a standout performer in the Tier 2 scene throughout 2026. After joining Enterprise Esports at the start of the year, he secured multiple tournament victories, including two titles in the Challengers EMEA circuit. His performance in the VCT EMEA Play-In saw him achieve a 245 ACS and 162 ADR, ranking him in the top five for both metrics.
The potential 2027 roster for Gentle Mates is expected to feature Alfajer and Boaster alongside kozzy, with Matthew "kaplan" Kaplan serving as head coach. However, the signing comes with a significant restriction, as kozzy is currently under the minimum age requirement of 17 for VCT competition. His 17th birthday falls on February 22, 2027, meaning he will be ineligible to participate in the EMEA Kickoff event.
The signing also comes with uncertainty regarding the team's placement in the league. Gentle Mates does not currently hold a guaranteed spot in the VCT EMEA 2027 league due to the new partnership system introduced by Riot Games.
Note: This article is based on publicly available sources and reflects information available at the time of publication. Details may change; check the original or official source for updates.
