Arsenal could reportedly appoint Liverpool assistant manager Zeljko Buvac as Arsene Wenger’s successor, according to a report in Bosnia.
As noted by The Guardian, the 56-year-old will be absent at Liverpool for the rest of the season with ‘personal reasons’ being cited as being behind the decision.
SEE MORE: Arsenal fans fume as key Man Utd figure linked with shock switch to Gunners
It was a far from ideal time for the Reds to face such a distraction given that they face Roma in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday night, but further developments have reportedly added a clearer picture over the potential upcoming permanent split.
According to Pravda BL, as re-reported by Sport Witness, Buvac is taking a planned break as he will become the next manager at Arsenal to replace Wenger, who announced earlier this month that he would be stepping down at the end of the season.
If true, it will be a huge shock considering the number of top coaches who have been linked with the post, while Buvac has yet to hold a top job having worked closely with Jurgen Klopp during stints in Germany and England.
Nevertheless, having been a key figure within the coaching staff at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, he will have gained plenty of experience and is evidently highly valued by Klopp.
Based on the tweets below, many Arsenal and Liverpool fans have been left shocked by the report, while others were intrigued and excited by the potential appointment.
Given Arsenal plucked Wenger out of relative obscurity in 1996 as he was managing in Japan, it shouldn’t come as a major surprise if true, but it will still be a risk as the Gunners will certainly face a tricky transitional period after the Frenchman has gone.
Time will tell if Buvac is indeed the man trusted by the Gunners hierarchy to lead them to success in the post-Wenger era…
The Bosnian news agency that broke Klopp and Buvac were to take over at Liverpool (the day before Brendan Rodgers was sacked) have this morning broke a story that Buvac is Arsenal bound as Wenger’s replacement.. #LFC #AFC pic.twitter.com/tW7riTaZ0f
— Chris Williams (@Chris78Williams) May 1, 2018
Buva? as a head coach is impossible to imagine. He’s never wanted any attention, always totally avoided the media. To go from a decade of that to replacing Wenger at Arsenal? It doesn’t make sense.
— Lewis (@LGAmbrose) May 1, 2018
Zeljko Buvac to Arsenal? Yes, please. The guy is a master tactician.
— OneAW (@1886_blog) April 30, 2018
Hard to blame Buvac for taking the Arsenal job. Awful timing, though, and indicative of the direction the two clubs are going in
— John O’Sullivan (@NotoriousJOS) May 1, 2018
Buvac at Arsenal would be very interesting though, if true. Wish him luck but not too much!!
— Mubashir (@CallMeMubzy) May 1, 2018
With the names being linked with the Arsenal job I don’t think Buvac looks out of place, I’d still be surprised if it happened tho.
— Andy (@AndyTheRed83) May 1, 2018
The Zeljko #Buvac to Arsenal news makes too much sense for it to be true. #Arsenal‘s current head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, former #BVB is a big fan.
— Srijandeep Das (@srijandeep) May 1, 2018
This would be mental if true, but also plausible in a sense.
Arsenal’s head of recruitment Sven Mislintat sat on the bench with Klopp and Buvac at Dortmund. https://t.co/6RHSFEE54R
— Jack Lusby (@jacklusby_) May 1, 2018
Buvac to Arsenal will be a great move for them and a blow for us if it happens. Hope it never happens and they get Pardew instead
— The LFC Way (@The_LFCWay) May 1, 2018
If Buvac is becoming arsenal manager then it makes much more sense as to why he would leave so suddenly and be on gardening leave
— Nicola Cornish (@nikicornish) May 1, 2018
Great coach but will he be a good manager??
— Ashish Shetty (@ashishs8782) May 1, 2018
This makes a lot sense, doesn’t it? With him leaving Liverpool and the mislintat connection. I have however no insight what so ever to his coaching ability.
— Niklas Ahlm (@NikkeAhlm) May 1, 2018
If he can get us attacking like a Klopp team that would be exciting.
— Mischa Watson (@mischawatson) May 1, 2018