Harry Redknapp has returned to his former club AFC Bournemouth on a 'temporary deal' as he lends a hand to caretaker manager Jonathan Woodgate.

A statement read out on Sky Sports this afternoon explained that the 73-year-old has been drafted in as a short-term measure to assist Woodgate, who himself only arrived at the Vitality Stadium last week as a first-team coach before Jason Tindall was sacked.

With the timescale unknown on Bournemouth appointing a permanent new boss at the club, Woodgate has decided to bring Redknapp in to assist him, having played under him at Tottenham Hotspur.

Bournemouth is a club close to Redknapp's heart, having played for the club twice and then went on to manage them in 1983 for nine years, and he lives in the Sandbanks area of the town.

Redknapp's addition as a short-term measure may fuel speculation that he could end up taking a more hands-on role depending on how his work goes, or it could pave the way for his nephew Frank Lampard to take the reins when he's ready to return to management, although he may be holding out for a Premier League job.

It's unlikely that Redknapp will get the Bournemouth manager's job off the back of his assistance of Woodgate, but stranger things have happened...

The Verdict

Considering Redknapp was at the game against Birmingham on Saturday, this appointment could have been seen a mile off for the eagle-eyed.

His arrival on a temporary basis could be a complete smokescreen for him taking charge of the team full-time in a month or so - the Cherries need a manager who has been there and done it at the top level to get them back to the Premier League.

Redknapp would fit that criteria to a tee, but does he want another hands-on managerial role at his age?

The situation seems very fluid, but don't be surprised if this leads to him returning to the club full-time or if it's a catalyst for Lampard to enter the equation at some point.