The LPL's second stage is set to begin in about a week. This year's first transfer window is also closing soon. Teams with roster changes will gradually announce their new lineups. Based on leaks from various bloggers, among the top LPL teams, only AL, WBG, IG, and TES are making adjustments. AL's players remain unchanged; they only switched their coaching staff, reportedly a "three moles" combination.

For Weibo, support Erha was removed. Hang, who previously joined Weibo, will partner with ELK in the new stage. Erha tried out with WE, but whether it succeeded is still unknown. Although Hang performed poorly at Worlds, he is sufficient for league play. Weibo's urgent task is to earn more Worlds points in the second stage, aiming to achieve results in the third stage and compete for Worlds. For the future, they'll take it step by step.

After Brother's return to Top Esports, he replaced Jiaqi as the starter. The jungler, due to involvement in match-fixing, was forced to change to Tian. The support remains Fengyue. The team's paper strength is decent, but Fengyue might hinder Brother. Probably, TES management wants to give him another chance. If he doesn't perform well in the second stage, they might temporarily sign a support or, after the second stage, bring Liu Qing Song back.

IG's roster changes are the most extensive. Apart from the jungler, all four other positions are being replaced. First, the top laner: Breathe has reached an agreement with IG. Yesterday, Uzi accidentally leaked during his stream, saying he was discussing with IG management to let Breathe finish the Uzi Cup. Originally, Breathe's destination was unknown, but Uzi's slip means we know his next team before the official announcement.

The bot lane duo: Meiko is confirmed to return, while Jwei has left the team. Jiaqi, who played for TES in the first stage, has been loaned to IG. This pairing should have some potential. Jiaqi's individual skill is good, and Meiko fits well. In the current enchanter support meta, if their chemistry is good, IG's bot lane strength could be high. For the mid lane, Rookie was persuaded to return, but IG seems to have only halfway convinced him.

Leak blogger Hongcha revealed: In the early part of IG's second stage, the young mid laner Renard might start, with Rookie as a substitute ready to play anytime. Since he's already back, what's the point of not playing? Is Rookie worried about being criticized by fans? Or is he still enjoying the honeymoon phase with his new girlfriend? However, Renard hasn't played a single match since the Demacia Cup; he really needs a chance.

If the young mid laner's skill surpasses Rookie's, then IG would have found a treasure. IG's lineup isn't weak on paper: three RNG veterans plus one from Incheon and one from Iceland. If they synergize well, they'll secure a playoff spot and could compete with WBG for the Worlds fourth seed. But discussing this now is premature; strong paper strength doesn't guarantee good performance, as seen with LCK's HLE.

If Rookie doesn't start in the second stage, his nickname "Sticky Rice Chicken" will truly stick. In the last couple years of his career, he ruined his reputation due to a breakup. Who knows how tempting his influencer girlfriend really is. If he plays, criticism is certain, and IG teammates might also be affected. If not for his contract, he probably wouldn't have returned after his reputation collapsed during the offseason.

Conclusion:

Breathe, Wei, and Jiaqi all played for RNG. Those fervent Royal Club fans have finally found their main camp. The second stage starts on April 4th; the official schedule hasn't been announced yet. BLG and JDG should rest a few more days since they just finished the Pioneer Tournament. Hopefully, the opening match will feature a strong showdown.

So, how do you think IG's new lineup looks?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!