Karmine Corp Blue and SK Gaming are set to trade junglers, sources familiar with the situation tell Sheep Esports. The agreement, already established, will see LEC jungler Ismaïl "ISMA" Boualem move to Karmine Corp's team in the LFL. In exchange, jungler Mehdi "Boukada" Lahlou will join SK Gaming in the LEC before the start of the Spring Split. SK Gaming explored several options before finalizing this trade between the two French junglers.

One of ISMA or Reeker had to change

Following a difficult Winter Split, which saw SK Gaming finish with a record of eight defeats and only one victory, the team decided to make adjustments to its starting roster. While nine games might seem like a small sample size for such changes, the results reflected deeper issues within the team environment.

In addition to weak scrim performances leading up to the split, SK Gaming players struggled to align on their approach to the game. ISMA and Steven "Reeker" Chen, in particular, had differing views on how the team should play, leading SK Gaming to conclude that one of them had to be replaced.

With this in mind, SK Gaming explored various midlane options, including Kim "Gori" Tae-woo, formerly part of CTBC Flying Oyster in the PCS. They also considered several ERL midlaners, including Solary’s Nicolas "Decay" Gawron, a former teammate of ISMA. BK ROG Esports’ midlaner Šimon "OMON" Říháček was another candidate, but his team declined to release him for a move to the LEC. OMON himself was reportedly comfortable staying put, considering SK Gaming's current placement in the standings.

On a low budget

As one of the lowest-spending organizations in the LEC, SK Gaming faced financial constraints when making roster changes. Any benched player would still be owed an inactive roster salary, limiting the team’s ability to sign new players without increasing overall spending. Additionally, some ERL teams demanded buyouts for their players, making straightforward acquisitions difficult.

Given these constraints, a direct player trade with an ERL team presented an appealing solution for SK Gaming. In the end, the organization decided to bench ISMA and identified Boukada as their top choice from the ERL talent pool.

However, a player trade requires consent from both players involved. ISMA, Ialready set to be benched, agreed to move to Karmine Corp Blue in the LFL. Although he received a severance payment from SK Gaming, the 23-year-old jungler prioritized securing playtime over staying inactive. His salary in the LFL, however, will be lower than what he earned in the LEC. SK Gaming paid a buyout for Boukada, while Karmine Corp didn't pay one for Isma.

A change amidst a title

Discussions surrounding the trade had been ongoing for at least a week while Karmine Corp Blue was still competing in the LFL playoffs. On Wednesday, the team’s players were informed of the impending roster change. By Thursday, the move was finalized contractually—on the same day Karmine Corp Blue won the LFL Flash In finals.

This victory marks Karmine Corp’s fourth LFL title, an impressive achievement considering the various roster iterations the organization has gone through since joining the league in 2021. Reaching the LFL final had also previously secured Karmine Corp Blue's qualification at the Winter EMEA Masters. However, sources tell Sheep Esports that it remains unclear which of the two junglers—ISMA or Boukada—will play in the tournament.

Indeed, according to the 2025 ERL Rulebook, "A Player who has participated in more than 50% of the Matches in the current LEC Split is ineligible to participate in any ERL Regular Season, Play-Offs, and the EM event for the current Split." ISMA, having played the entirety of the LEC Winter Split with SK, should therefore be ineligible to compete in the EMEA Masters under this rule. According to our sources, KC has requested an exception from Riot and is currently awaiting a response. This issue does not call the move into question.

Boukada, scaling in ERLs

At 22 years old, Boukada has been competing in the ERLs since 2021. After struggling in France and Spain, he found himself in LFL Division 2, where he played a key role in Team Du Sud’s promotion to the LFL. The following year, he joined Team GO, a roster considered by many as an LFL superteam. His strong performances there earned him a spot on Karmine Corp Blue for 2025, who just secured the LFL title.

With SK Gaming operating on a tight budget, Boukada will be joining the LEC on a relatively low salary. However, the jungler is eager to prove himself at the highest level of European competition. He is often described as a competent and smart player.

What's next for the Spring Split?

ISMA, who has played four splits in the LEC, will now compete in the LFL for the first time in his career. He previously found success in other ERLs, most notably winning the SuperLiga with Movistar Riders—a roster that later advanced to the LEC. His last match in an ERL before moving up to the LEC was none other than the EMEA Masters Summer 2023 final... against Karmine Corp. His best result in the LEC came last summer when SK Gaming finished first in the regular season.

Given the limited roster changes expected between the Winter and Spring Splits, ISMA had little chance of securing another LEC spot this offseason. As for SK Gaming, additional roster changes could still take place before the Spring Split. Sheep Esports will continue to provide updates on any finalized movements within the team.