Will Cloud9 sign buster?

According to multiple reports, Cloud9 will launch the 2023 season with a new player in its CS:GO line-up. The organization seems to have its eye on Timur “buster” Tulepov. According to multiple reports, buster is set to join the North American organization after long talks.

If buster joins Cloud9, he will most likely replace Timofey “interz” Yakushin.

The team had been looking for a replacement for interz for at least a month after the end of the IEM Rio Major in Brazil last year, but couldn’t find anyone for a long time. They allegedly tested several players, and while some of them were considered, buster was reportedly one of the main candidates from the start.

Now, it looks like the org has finally settled on the 23-year-old player from Kazakhstan.

Cloud9 tested several players

Previously, there were rumors that Cloud9 also tested Igor “Forester” Bezotecheskiy and Sanjar “SANJI” Kuliev. Forester wanted to leave Czech-Russian team Entropiq in October before the organization tried to sell the line-up and put players on a transfer list. Entropiq later released the entire team except for Forester. 

The rumors about SANJI and Cloud9 have also seeped into the ground and it doesn’t look like he will be picked up by the organization.

buster was supposed to make his debut at IEM Katowice

Buster’s first tournament back on the server was to be IEM Katowice 2023. Cloud9 have been invited to start the event in the play-in phase, which starts on January 31 and has eight slots available for the group phase.

The move to Cloud9 marks the end of a six-month hiatus on the sidelines for buster after being benched by Russian team Outsiders following the end of PGL Major Antwerp in late May. He and Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis were replaced in the team by David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan and Petr “fame” Bolyshev, but while the Latvian quickly found a new home with Team Liquid, buster had to search a lot longer for a new home.

If Cloud9 proceeds to signs buster, Cloud9’s lineup at IEM Katowice will be as follows:

• Abay “HObbit” Khasenov
• Vladislav “nafany” Gorshkov
• Sergey “Ax1Le” Rykhtorov
• Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov
• Timur “buster” Tulepov
• Konstantin “Rille” Pikiner (Coach)

Ultimately, however, the inclusion of buster in Cloud9’s CS:GO line-up is pure speculation and has not yet been confirmed. We’ll have to wait a bit longer until there’s an official statement about the situation of the new line-up.

Header: buster/ Cloud9