Team Liquid is set to sign Jensen to a three-year, $4.2 million contract extension ahead of the 2021 LCS Spring Split, according to League of Legends reporter Travis Gafford.
The deal represents the highest salary of any player in LCS history to date. Among the highest reported signings in the North American region are Impact’s three-year, $3.4 million contract with Liquid in 2017 and Huni’s two-year, $2.3 million signing with Dignitas last year.
Jensen will rejoin Liquid on stage for the upcoming season after failing to make it out of the 2020 World Championship group stage with the team. Liquid attended this year’s international event as the LCS’ third-seed representatives and placed first in their play-in group. They ultimately fell out of contention for the Summoner’s Cup after Suning defeated G2 Esports in the tie-breaker match for first in Group A.
Jensen’s contract extension follows a report from ESPN detailing Liquid’s interest in acquiring European top laner Alphari. The team is reportedly looking to sign Alphari under a multi-year contract worth more than $1 million per year.
Neither signing has been made official yet, however. The 2020-21 League of Legends free agency window opens at 6pm CT on Nov. 16. Jensen’s contract extension is expected to be signed in the “very near future,” according to Gafford.
Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen, originally known as Veigodx, was a member of the founding roster of Team Solo Mebdi, along with YamatoCannon, wewillfailer, StunnedandSlayed, and Rayt3ch. The team disbanded in January 2013 after being disqualified from the Season 3 EU LCS qualifiers. On January 23, 2013, he was permanently banned from playing League of Legends due to his “long history of DDOS activity, abusive behavior and poor sportsmanship across multiple accounts.
“Despite his permaban, Jensen continued playing on smurf accounts and had several montages of his play released. On February 1, 2014, it was suggested that Incarnati0n had become the coach of SK Gaming, and it was eventually confirmed.
Once he was unbanned, he became a professional player for Cloud9 in the mid-lane position, dominating other NA mid laners in the NA LCS. Over the years, he grew to be one of the best mid laners representing NA in international events. At the end of 2018, however he joined Team Liquid where he began to dominate his former squad in head-to-head matches.
Since he joined Liquid, he became arguably the best mid laner in NA, constantly winning LCS titles back-to-back. This deal makes a lot of sense with Liquid wanting to keep their most important asset on the team.
