Virtus.pro CEO Nikolay Petrosyan recently shared his perspective on the potential acquisition of player Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov for the organization`s CS2 roster. This hypothetical scenario was explored during an interview on Erik “Shoke” Shokov`s YouTube channel, where a potential $2.5 million transfer fee for m0NESY was discussed.
Petrosyan emphasized that while $2.5 million is a significant sum for a transfer, it represents just one component of a complex deal. He highlighted that the player`s salary is an equally, if not more, crucial factor. Responding to a hypothetical suggestion of a $50,000 monthly salary (including media-related income), which amounts to $600,000 per year, the VP head pointed out that actual salary demands could be substantially higher, potentially reaching $120,000 per month.
He further stressed that any such acquisition must be viewed as an investment that requires a return over time. For this to be feasible, a long-term contract is essential. Petrosyan noted that esports players are often hesitant to commit to multi-year agreements. When presented with a specific scenario by Shoke involving a three-year contract with a $50,000 salary and a $2.5 million transfer fee, Petrosyan stated unequivocally that three years is insufficient, and Virtus.pro would require a minimum of a five-year contract to make such a deal viable.
The Virtus.pro CEO concluded that the decision to pursue such a costly transfer is contingent upon a multitude of factors beyond just the buyout price. Salary expectations, the desired contract length, and numerous other circumstances all play a vital role in the final decision. He underscored that real-life esports business decisions are far more intricate than simple speculative calculations.
As background, it`s known that in the spring of 2025, m0NESY transferred from G2 Esports to Team Falcons. Although the financial specifics of that transaction were not publicly disclosed, insider Guillaume “neL” Canelo reported it at the time as potentially the most expensive transfer in the history of competitive Counter-Strike.
Finley Holt