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Zeus Rejects HLE Contract Renewal, Seeks to Explore Value in FA Market
Hanwha Life Esports Top Laner Choi "Zeus" Woo-je has reportedly rejected a contract renewal proposal, according to a report by Inven Global. As he approaches the 2-year milestone with HLE, he now looks to explore his value on the League of Legends Free Agent (FA) market when it opens.
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HLE was eliminated at the hands of Bilibili Gaming in the 2026 Worlds Swiss Stage, following a tense Bo3 series. The most recent Mid-Season Invitational champions were dealt multiple powerful opponents after entering the Swiss Stage, suffering losses to Gen.G, Invictus Gaming , and most recently BLG.
Zeus joined HLE following his historic two-peat Worlds wins on T1. Since joining HLE at the end of 2024, he has found a modicum of success, having lifted both the First Stand trophy in 2025 as well as the MSI trophy in 2026.
Reportedly, Zeus rejected the contract renewal proposal following his change of agent and now seeks to 'test his value' on the FA market.
Throughout his career, since his time on T1, Zeus has consistently held the regard of the majority of the community as one of the best-performing Top Laners in the game.
This reputation means that should he proceed with his entry into the FA market, he will undoubtedly become one of the most sought-after pieces among the top teams.
As of the time of this writing, a representative from HLE has this to say:
"We are continuously in discussions with the player [Zeus]"
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Featured Image Credit: Christina Oh/Riot Games
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