Home

The transfer of Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold to Passion UA has taken an unexpected turn, after the organisation’s CEO claimed they outbid Natus Vincere for the Mongolian star, only for NAVI to publicly deny making any offer at all.

In an interview, Passion UA CEO Artemijs Rjabovs said the club agreed to pay slightly more than what NAVI were allegedly willing to spend. Hours later, NAVI’s sporting director Amiran “aMi” Rekhviashvili took to X to call the claim “a lie”, insisting the organisation “didn’t offer anything”

Here’s what we know so far.

Rjabovs Says Passion UA Won A Bidding War

Speaking in an interview with Konstantin “leniniw” Sivko, Rjabovs described difficult negotiations with The MongolZ, noting that this was likely the first time the Mongolian organisation had sold a player.

According to Rjabovs, there were rumours about NAVI’s interest and how much they were willing to pay. Passion UA, he claimed, agreed with The MongolZ on a “slightly higher sum” than what NAVI were offering.

He also confirmed that the deal includes an option to make Senzu’s move permanent after IEM Cologne, if all parties are satisfied. Senzu initially joined Passion UA on loan, with the agreement running through the end of the current season.

That version of events paints the picture of a competitive transfer race, with Passion UA stepping up financially to secure one of the most promising riflers in the scene.

NAVI Respond: “We Didn’t Offer Anything”

Shortly after those comments gained traction, NAVI’s sporting director Amiran “aMi” Rekhviashvili publicly refuted the claim on X.

“That’s a lie, we didn’t offer anything,” he wrote, adding a pointed remark suggesting the idea that Senzu “rejected NAVI and joined Passion UA” was delusional.

This directly contradicts Rjabovs’ suggestion that Passion UA had outbid NAVI. At this stage, there’s no public evidence of a formal offer from NAVI, and the organisation’s stance is clear, they say no offer was made.

Earlier context from NAVI coach Andrey “B1ad3” Gorodenskiy adds another layer. He previously confirmed that NAVI spoke to potential targets towards the end of 2025, but stressed it was part of a long-term strategy and “doesn’t mean we will take them.” That leaves open the possibility of exploratory talks, without any official bid being submitted.

What The Senzu Deal Actually Includes

Putting the back-and-forth aside, the confirmed details of the transfer are significant on their own.

Senzu joined Passion UA on 13 February on a loan deal that includes a buyout option. The loan runs until the end of the season, and Rjabovs says the organisation can make it permanent after IEM Cologne if everyone is happy with how things progress.

His debut is set to come at ESL Pro League Season 23, which runs its online stage from 27 February to 9 March. That event will determine which eight teams advance to the LAN finals out of 24 competing squads.

He will miss Roman Imperium Cup V due to the registration deadline, meaning fans will have to wait a little longer to see the new lineup in action.

The team has not officially confirmed which rifler will step aside for Senzu. Reports indicate Michael “Grim” Wince is set to move to NRG, which would allow Nick “nicx” Lee to remain as the team’s anchor.

A Statement Of Ambition From Passion UA

Beyond the transfer drama, this move signals how serious Passion UA are about climbing the rankings.

The organisation, backed by Arsenal footballer Oleksandr Zinchenko, has already shown ambition by acquiring the former Complexity core late in 2025. That roster change pushed them into bigger events, but the addition of Senzu and Argentine AWPer Santino “try” Rigal marks another step up.

Rjabovs framed it in almost emotional terms, pointing out that just two years ago the team were competing in smaller events like United21. Now they are signing a player ranked No. 13 on HLTV and targeting title contention rather than just top 20 placements.

He also revealed that Zinchenko personally called try multiple times to convince him to join, despite interest from three top-ten teams. The CEO highlighted try’s Major performances as a key reason for prioritising the signing, saying the team lacked the consistency a top sniper must bring.

Senzu, for his part, is set to take English lessons to integrate more smoothly into the squad, following the example of Vladyslav “Kvem” Korol, who improved significantly after joining the team.

Where This Leaves The NAVI Angle

Right now, the situation boils down to two conflicting public statements.

Passion UA’s CEO says they agreed to pay more than NAVI were willing to offer. NAVI’s sporting director says no offer was made at all. Without documentation from either side, it remains a matter of word against word.

What is certain is that Senzu is now part of Passion UA’s project, at least for the remainder of the season, and his performance at ESL Pro League Season 23 will likely define how this story is remembered.

If he helps elevate the squad into genuine title contention, the debate over who bid what may quickly fade into the background.