Xi Lai Gaming has allowed Arthur “Rarga” Churyumov to explore his options for the 2027 Valorant season. Rarga said he is still under contract with XLG and that talks are ongoing, but the team has also given him permission to look at the market for next year.
“I’m still on the contract and in talks with XLG but they’ve also allowed me to explore my options for the next year,” he said. “I’m open to new opportunities in any region.”
The update adds another offseason wrinkle for a Xi Lai Gaming lineup that has already been changing around its core. Rarga is one of the longest-serving pieces of the current project, and the fact that he can speak with other teams while still tied to XLG through Riot’s contract database points to a possible split that has not been finalized yet.
From Ascension run to VCT China staple
Rarga has been with Xi Lai Gaming since 2024, when the team made its run through Chinese Valorant’s second tier with current Global Esports player PatMen and current XLG player happywei. That roster went on to win the China Ascension trophy and claim the 12th spot in VCT China, turning a second-tier push into a place in the region’s top league.
Kr1stal left the team the following year because VCT teams can only carry a limited number of out-of-region imports, but Rarga stayed. He then made his rookie debut with XLG as one of the region’s most hyped Duelists, taking on the role that put him in the front line for the team’s domestic and international campaigns.
That continuity has mattered for Xi Lai Gaming. The roster did not have to rebuild around a new import Duelist after Ascension, and Rarga’s stay gave the team a familiar entry option as it moved from a qualifying run into regular VCT competition. His place in the lineup became even more visible once XLG started stacking results in China.
Rarga, who is of Russian descent, has been competing in China since late 2023. Before joining Xi Lai Gaming, he had a short stint with Dragon Ranger Gaming. His Valorant path started in 2022 with Russian squad next_viigraem, and later that year he joined Emirati side NASR Esports. His career has taken him through several regions, but China has been his home for the longest stretch.
XLG’s rise continued under hvoya
Xi Lai Gaming’s momentum did not stop after its Ascension breakthrough. With new head coach hvoya in place, the team got off to a fast start in VCT, won its first title and qualified for two international events. That coaching change gave XLG a sharper structure, and Rarga remained a central part of the team’s aggressive style throughout the year.
In 2026, XLG kept that pace and reached every international event with Rarga as the team’s frontline Duelist. That kind of consistency is not common for teams that move up from Ascension, especially in a league where import rules and roster limits can force frequent changes. XLG instead kept the same attacking identity while improving its results.
hvoya’s own future is now part of the same conversation. He was also allowed to explore his options earlier this week, which means Xi Lai Gaming has opened the door on more than one major roster piece before the offseason really begins. The timing suggests the organization is preparing for multiple possible outcomes rather than locking in the same group for 2027.
Related coverage of hvoya’s situation is available here.
Rarga’s role made that 2026 run easier to sustain. XLG leaned on him to take space, force early fights and create room for the rest of the team, which is why his availability for 2027 matters beyond a simple contract update. A team that has already proven it can win a title and reach international events now has to decide whether to keep the Duelist who helped drive that climb.
Contract status points to a possible exit
According to Riot’s VCT Global Contract Database, Rarga’s deal with XLG runs through the 2027 season. That means he is still under contract and not a free agent, but the team letting him explore options suggests the sides may be willing to move in different directions. He remains under contract through the end of Champions Shanghai, which keeps him tied to the roster for now.
That timing matters for the Chinese market because teams looking for an import Duelist will be watching the offseason closely. A player with Rarga’s track record is not easy to replace: he joined XLG during a second-tier rise, stayed through Ascension, handled the jump into VCT China and then continued to start as the team reached every international event in 2026. Clubs that need firepower in the entry role will know exactly what he can bring.
The report’s wording also leaves room for an eventual reunion or another move. Rarga said he is still in talks with XLG, which means the door has not closed on a return for 2027. At the same time, the team has given him permission to hear from other regions, so his next step could come outside China if the right offer appears.
That possibility is significant because Rarga has already built a broad résumé across multiple teams and regions. He spent time in Russia with next_viigraem, moved to the UAE with NASR Esports, then settled into China with Dragon Ranger Gaming before joining Xi Lai Gaming. His career path now gives him a wider field of options than many players who have stayed in one region for most of their careers.
Xi Lai Gaming’s current results only make the decision more notable. A team that won its first title in VCT and repeatedly qualified for international play is not usually looking to move on from a player who helped anchor that progress, yet the organization has now allowed both Rarga and hvoya to test the market. That combination leaves the offseason picture much less settled than XLG’s 2026 results might suggest.
XLG’s roster picture after the update
After the update, Xi Lai Gaming’s active roster was listed as WsLeo, Sharks, Lysoar and happywei. Rarga was not included in that active lineup note, even though he remains under contract and can still negotiate for 2027. The report did not confirm a transfer or release; it only established that the player is free to assess his options.
Fans reacted quickly with speculation about possible changes, especially around the team’s core and whether another import could fill the Duelist role. Those reactions were not part of the announcement itself, but they show how closely the Chinese Valorant scene is watching XLG’s offseason decisions. A player of Rarga’s profile is likely to draw attention from more than one team.
For now, the confirmed facts are simple: Xi Lai Gaming has allowed Rarga to explore options, he says he remains under contract and open to new opportunities in any region, and Riot’s database lists his deal through 2027. The rest of the offseason will determine whether that permission turns into a move or only into a longer round of negotiations.
Rarga still being under contract through 2027 makes this way less clean than a normal transfer story. If XLG are already opening the door for him and hvoya, the offseason is probably going to get messy fast.
“Open to new opportunities in any region” is code for my agent has turned the market into a clan war lol. China, EU, Americas… who’s dropping the fattest stack?
Any region, any agent, any offer. Man is basically queueing for the whole globe now.
bro that is just proper offseason vibes 😀 i had one scrim squad fall apart because two guys were “exploring options” and suddenly no one wanted to lock a role anymore
yeah, that tracks. once one guy starts window shopping, everyone else checks if their chair is still warm too.
unless the “options” are just leverage and he ends up right back at XLG. teams say explore all the time when they want the market to do the hard work for them.
letting him test the market says more than the contract does. if XLG really wanted the same core, they would not give away the best entry on paper.
or they are just being smart about negotiations. a player saying he’s open to anything does not mean XLG are done with him, mate.
hard to tell, but teams dont usually hand out permission for fun. feels like someone has already got a shortlist and XLG are doing the polite bit first.
through 2027 is wild
The interesting bit is not even the permission, it is that Riot database still has him through 2027 and XLG are already talking like a split is possible. That means this is not a simple buyout rumour, it is a proper roster decision. Rarga has been there since the Ascension run, then he kept the Duelist spot through the jump into VCT and the 2026 international events. That kind of continuity is rare, so if he leaves it will change how XLG play, not just who they sign.
you are giving Riot database too much credit. teams keep deals on paper all the time and then the real talks decide everything, so this could still end with him staying.