Dignitas will sign former 100 Thieves support Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black and buy out contracts for mid laner Henrik "Froggen" Hansen and jungler Jonathan "Grig" Armao from Golden Guardians and Team SoloMid respectively, league sources told ESPN.
Froggen, Aphromoo and Grig complete the final League Championship Series roster this offseason and become a part of a Dignitas roster that has undergone major changes. Those three will join top laner Heo "Huni" Seung-hoon -- who Dignitas gave a two-year, $2.3 million guaranteed contract extension to this offseason, as reported by ESPN -- and AD carry Johnsun "Johnsun" Nguyen, who Dignitas acquired in a deal with Cloud9.
Among their moves this offseason, Dignitas traded support Philippe "Vulcan" Laflamme to Cloud9 in return for $1.5 million and Johnsun, who Cloud9 bought out from Team SoloMid, as reported by ESPN. Dignitas also sold contract rights for AD carry Cody "Cody Sun" Sun to 100 Thieves and notified mid laner Tanner "Damonte" Damonte that it would not be picking up his team option for the 2020 season.
Throughout November Dignitas inquired about AD carry Zachary "Sneaky" Scuderi, but could not come to terms with the Cloud9 AD carry and ultimately decided Johnsun would be named the starter, sources said. Sneaky will likely not compete in the spring of the 2020 season after being benched in favor of Jesper "Zven" Svenningsen, who a Cloud9 signed on Nov. 18.
Dignitas re-entered the League Championship Series when their parent company, Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owners Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, formed an esports-focused holding company with the Houston Rockets, who owned LCS team Clutch Gaming, in May. That arrangement would see Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment raise $30 million for the new company New Meta Entertainment over the summer and the Clutch Gaming League of Legends team rebrand to Dignitas after the completion of the 2019 League of Legends World Championship.
Clutch Gaming competed at the world championship after being the third North American team to qualify for the event, behind Team Liquid and Cloud9. The team failed to make it past the group stage of the event, despite a breakout performance from Vulcan. Under new executive management, Dignitas returned back to the United States and began to evaluate their plans for the 2020 season.
Aphromoo and Froggen join Dignitas after competing entire seasons with 100 Thieves and Golden Guardians in the LCS in 2019.
Aphromoo became a free agent on Nov. 18 and did not come to renewal terms with 100 Thieves, who he joined in late 2017 after a long stint as the cornerstone of Counter Logic Gaming. 100 Thieves promoted academy support William "Stunt" Chen to their starting lineup this offseason. Meanwhile Golden Guardians bought out Cloud9 Academy mid laner Greyson "Goldenglue" Gilmer on Nov. 18.
Grig has not competed in the LCS since June, when Team SoloMid began to use Matthew "Akaadian" Higginbotham and academy jungler Mingyi "Spica" Lu instead. This offseason Team SoloMid acquired Joshua "Dardoch" Hartnett from Immortals.
Dignitas, Team SoloMid and Golden Guardians declined to comment.