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Fnatic has announced that two players from their roster, Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev and Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett, have extended their contracts with the organization.
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Fnatic made the announcement via their official Twitter page with a video of the team director, Colin “CoJo” Johnson, and their coach, Jacob “mini” Harris. In the clip, the duo introduce Derek and Boaster as Fnatic’s most recent contract extensions.
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When asked how he felt about the extended contract until 2025, Boaster expressed his desire to win a trophy with the franchise.
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“I’m feeling like it’s time to win a trophy under Fnatic now I think,” he said. “I’d like to be doing some heavy lifting… I think a trophy is about due now. I’ve got to get you your money’s worth.”
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The 27-year-old has flourished in his position at Fnatic as the team’s charismatic in-game leader. He was previously a content creator before he joined Excel as part of the team’s professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive lineup.
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Boaster also notably worked with SUMN FC in the franchise’s formative months as a competitor in Valorant and led them to success. He was signed on to Fnatic in February 2021 due to his impressive performance in SUMN FC.
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The new contracts will keep Boaster with Fnatic for the next two seasons and Derke, who signed until 2026, for the next three. The team announced the players’ contract extensions a day before their VCT Champions Group D opening match with 100 Thieves. Other teams in the group include FURIA and DRX.
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Derke joined the team two months after Fnatic made their first changes to their roster. The 19-year-old was added two months after the VCT CIS Stage 1 Challengers 2 when he led CrowCrowd to one of the top spots in the tournament and earned his first MVP award.
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Since then, the player has risen to the position of being one of the best players in the world. Derke was given a permanent place on the team after two maps and was named MVP four more times. One was in the VCT Stage 2 Challengers 2, and the remaining three resulted from his performance in the Stage 2 Masters in Reykjavík.
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Due to his playmaking skills and mechanical expertise on Chamber and Duelist agents, the player was an integral part of the British esports team’s success. Although his efforts have not been rewarded with a big trophy, Derke was one of the brightest stars in the European esports scene in 2021. He also ensured that his opponents were kept on alert in every tournament he participated in.
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Both Boaster and Derke helped Fnatic bag impressive finishes at several international esports events. They notably finished in second place in the Masters Reykjavík 2021 and were placed fourth during the Masters of Copenhagen.
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Fnatic’s playoff appearance in the 2021 Champions can also be linked to the players’ performance. However, due to covid, Derke was absent from Fnatic’s lineup during the Reykjavík 2022, and the team could not advance to the tournament’s playoff stage.
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The Valorant Champions 2022 is Fnatic’s second Valorant championship event, and in terms of international VCT tournaments, their fifth.
They missed only one international tournament, the VCT 2021 Stage 3 Masters Berlin, and lost the finals of a Valorant event to Sentinels. Fnatic is currently one of the preferred squads to win the Valorant Champions 2022.
