Qikert returns to VP bench as ITB loan expires*

"I 100% want to be an IGL," the Kazakh rifler told HLTV regarding his future.

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14:52 Update: After the publication of the article, Aleksei "⁠Qikert⁠" Golubev got in touch with HLTV to say that he is still open to playing other roles outside of in-game leadership.

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Qikert will not continue on loan with Into the Breach and is back to being benched in Virtus.pro.

The Kazakh rifler joined ITB in September on a three-month loan deal from VP with a priority option to buy, but the two parties couldn't agree upon "further collaboration terms."

Qikert took up in-game leadership duties for ITB upon joining, filling the hole left by the departure of Thomas "⁠Thomas⁠" Utting as the team looked to stabilize after a tumultuous summer season.

The change offered some promise early on as ITB only narrowly missed out on qualifying for Thunderpick World Championship and BLAST Fall Showdown Europe, but the lineup has since floundered in four consecutive CCT events and failed to record a series win with Qikert in any of those four tournaments.

"For the future I won't be playing with ITB," Qikert told HLTV. "It's sad, but this experience taught me that for the future I 100% want to be an IGL.

"All the guys I played with were fantastic and great to work with and welcomed me in and respected me every day. I am still contracted but I'm ready for a new team ASAP and ready to talk."

Into the Breach recently took part in CCT 2023 Online Finals 4 with a roster that featured benched Falcons player Alexandre "⁠bodyy⁠" Pianaro as a stand-in in place of the Kazakh rifler, with the Frenchman leading the way in a victory over MOUZ NXT .