Vitality.Bee, BDS Academy, GameWard and Besiktas Esports were also interested
Taha “Elramir” Yurdagüven has been a highly sought-after player this offseason. Multiple LFL teams — Vitality.Bee, BDS Academy, and GameWard — expressed interest in the Turkish jungler, according to Sheep Esports sources. Ultimately, the Spring 2023 EMEA Masters winner had to decide between two paths: joining Besiktas Esports and returning to the TCL, or staying with Geekay Esports in the Arabian League. According to our information, Elramir has chosen to continue his journey with GK after an excellent season with the Saudi organization.
In 2024, Geekay became a symbol of the Arabian League’s rise in the ERL circuit. Despite falling to Nigma Galaxy in the local championship’s Spring Split final, GK reached the EMEA Masters semi-finals in an impressive run. The team had to battle through the play-in stage to qualify for the Main Event, where they stunned audiences by topping their group. Then, in the quarter-finals, Geekay took on defending champions Karmine Corp Blue and, to everyone’s surprise, emerged victorious after a reverse sweep.
A new status
Although they fell to eventual champions Eintracht Spandau in the semi-finals, Geekay and their players had firmly made a name for themselves. After capturing the AL Summer Split title, GK entered the year’s second EMEA Masters as one of the top contenders. They maintained their excellent form in the Swiss Stage, finishing as one of only two teams to qualify 4-0—a performance that earned them the top spot in our Power Rankings heading into the playoffs.
However, Geekay’s run was cut short in the first playoff round against a team with an entirely different trajectory: Papara SuperMassive. Heralded as one of the favorites for the EMEA Masters Spring, the TCL champion had missed out and was out of the group phase. Before the summer EMs, İrfan “Armut” Tükek's team had boosted its confidence by winning the Turkish championship once again but had qualified for the playoffs on the wire (4-3 in the Swiss Stage). The match against Geekay in the Round of 16 of the Summer EM was therefore one of the most attractive on paper. After five games, SUP managed to eliminate GK...only to be swept aside 3-0 by Los Heretics in the quarter-finals.
Another superteam
This defeat marked the end of Elramir's season. But 2025 looks promising: as previously reported by Sheep Esports, Geekay will be retaining two more AL talents, midlaner Ahmad “Giyuu” Charif, and support Waleed “DeKap” Mohammed Ismail. Still, according to our information, GK have reached an agreement with another local talent for the toplane, Mohamed Yehia “Boda” El Sayed, who played for rival Nigma Galaxy last season.
Elramir's trajectory continues to soar. Over the past two competitive years, he has enjoyed consistent success. Before winning the Spring 2023 EMEA Masters with Istanbul Wildcats, he secured the TCL title a month earlier. After joining Anubis Gaming in AL, he won the 2023 Summer Split. Elramir is now widely considered one of the top junglers in EMEA’s Tier 2 scene, and his continued presence in the Arabian League, with another promising superteam, is set to drive the league’s ongoing growth.
Geekay Esports' reported 2025 roster:
- Toplane: Mohamed "Boda" Yahia
- Jungle: Taha “Elramir” Yurdagüven
- Midlane: Ahmad "Giyuu" Charif
- AD Carry: ?
- Support: Waleed "DeKap" Mohammed Ismail
For more roster changes, check out our Transfers Hub.
Header Photo Credit: Elramir/X