Sources: DarkZero set to sign Neilzinho as VALORANT coach

DarkZero is set to acquire Neil “neilzinho” Finlay to lead their VALORANT roster next year, multiple sources told Upcomer on Friday. 

The signing, which was originally reported by journalist Bo Hoogland during the trial phase, is close to being completed. The team decided to discontinue the discussions to sign XSET player Bryce “PureR” Lovell, however. This leaves one player for DarkZero to sign a few weeks prior to the start of the new season to complete their roster. 

The Las-Vegas based organization has trialed multiple other players during the course of the offseason but failed to make a final signing yet. DarkZero, like other VALORANT rosters, will take a short break prior to the start of the VALORANT Champions Tour next year. 

DarkZero recently competed in the Nerd Street Gamers Winter Championship: Open 7, which concluded on Dec. 1. The tournament, which crowned XSET as the winners, saw teams such as NRG Esports and Complexity reach the latter stages of the event. Evil Geniuses ended DarkZero’s tournament run in the round of 16, however. 

British coach neilzinho has a decorated history in both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and VALORANT. While he has led several British rosters, he is most prominently known for his time with G2 Esports, which concluded earlier this month. The Brits’ almost year-long tenure with the European organization ended following a joint-last place finish at the second Red Bull Home Ground event, which concluded on Nov. 7. 

Under G2 Esports, neilzinho led the team to a top four finish at VCT Stage 3 Masters in Berlin, Germany. The event, which took place in September, saw G2 Esports take down KRÜ Esports, F4Q and North American giants Sentinels. G2 were defeated by eventual tournament victors Gambit Esports. 

DarkZero will temporarily field the following roster:

• Kyle “Screwface” Jensen
• Adam “Ange” Milian
• Yannick “KOLER” Blanchette
• Andy “Andersin” Collins
• Neilzinho (coach)