After spending six months on Cloud9's bench, Ilya "Perfecto" Zalutskiy is eager to get back in action, fueling speculation that he's found a new team and is ready to re-enter competitive CS.
The Russian joined Cloud9 in the summer of 2023 after a successful three-year stint at Natus Vincere, where he cemented his place as one of the game's best role-players and anchors. His peak achievement came in 2021, helping NaVi claim the PGL Stockholm Major trophy with a dominant victory over G2 in the finals.
Perfecto apparently found a new home!
His time in Cloud 9 was rather disappointing. When joining the squad alongside his fellow NaVi teammate Denis "electroNic" Sharipov, the project was regarded as the forming of a new super team.
But only 3 months after them coming in, Dmitry "sh1ro" Sokolov benched himself before transferring over to Team Spirit, at the start of 2024.
Since the end of the 2024 Copenhagen Major, Perfecto has been on the bench, but his competitive spirit remains unbroken. He's keenly awaiting the end of the upcoming Perfect World Shanghai Major, as most top teams have finalized their rosters for the event.
In a recent Telegram post, Perfecto hinted at his anticipation, saying, "Everyone is waiting for the Major to start, but I can't wait for it to end."
For Perfecto, the end of the Major could mark the start of new opportunities as teams begin restructuring post-tournament.
Speculation around his next move is heating up. Some believe he may join a CIS squad like Virtus.pro or Team Spirit, while others suggest he could fill the gap in G2, once Nikola "NiKo" Kovač departs for Falcons.
One of the notable casters, PCH3LK1N is confirming that Perfecto will announce his new team after the Major https://t.co/6lKVQGOtQF pic.twitter.com/cEXlbon0EU
— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) November 7, 2024
A potential G2 move would make sense: As an anchor, Perfecto could seamlessly fit into G2’s lineup, potentially freeing Mario "malbsMd" Samoya to step into NiKo's star-player roles.
However, Perfecto is yet to play in an English-speaking lineup.
With his Major-winning experience and exceptional consistency, Perfecto is undoubtedly one of the top players on the market.
He also rejected plenty of offers throughout the past months.
Perfecto rejected BC GAME according to OverDrive pic.twitter.com/ZJDpRdsVVW
— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 5, 2024
If he has indeed secured a spot with a new team, we may soon see this world-class rifler back on the big stage, ready to make an impact once again.
What do you think? Will Perfecto join another Russian-speaking side or move to an international team like G2?