As i’s are reportedly dotted and t’s crossed on Roberto De Zerbi’s contract before he signs on as the new Tottenham boss, a ludicrous curveball has been thrown: “Thomas Frank might be allowed back…”

De Zerbiinitially told Tottenham he wouldn’t consider becoming their new manager in a relegation battle but is now reportedly close to agreeing terms with the club after being offered a lucrative five-year deal including a signing-on fee and survival bonus.

He will have quite the task on his hands not just this season with Spurs now just one point above the relegation zone, but in the seasons to come as quite the rebuild is required with what reports suggest will be ‘major investment to reshape the squad to his vision’.

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The Italian would be replacing Igor Tudor, whose interim reign lasted just seven games and 44 days, who was brought in as a firefighter to save Tottenham in a relegation battle they had been plunged into by predecessor Thomas Frank, who was sacked in February after Spurs had won just two of their last 17 league matches under he ex-Brentford boss.

But Martin Keown – who has proven himself to be little more than a mouthpiece for Tottenham’s bitter rivals Arsenal this season – claims Frank might be given a second chance at the club because he was slightly less terrible than Tudor.

“I’m not sure they enjoyed it when the last manager came in, he was quite scathing of the group,” Keown told talkSPORT.

“Maybe it’s an arm around the shoulder a little bit here? It certainly didn’t work last time.

“Look… I know people say you should never go back, but Thomas Frank might be allowed back in the building to actually say, ‘Okay, let’s try and pick up where we left off’.

“I know that they lost a few games, but it was certainly a lot better than we saw from recent games.”

Meanwhile, back on planet earth, Rio Ferdinand has warned Roberto De Zerbi against taking the Tottenham job.

“I’ve always championed De Zerbi, I think he’s a great manager,” Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. ‘He’s a thinking manager, he’s always looking for new, innovative ways to build his teams.

“This might be the perfect time to get him but are Spurs in the right situation for him?

“I’ve got to be honest, I wouldn’t go to Spurs right now.

“I just think it is a club that’s in such a bad way and there have been far too many managers that have failed there.

“That’s not the only thing because we can look at lots of clubs like that. But they call themselves a big club or wanting to be a big club, they’re bemused when they’re not mentioned in the big club bracket.

“But they don’t spend like a big club to attract the biggest players and then they wonder why they’re not in the top echelon of football clubs in that sense, when you look at them on the pitch and their output.”

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