Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is rumoured to be planning a return to the music scene. REUTERS

Justin Timberlake is back in the studio and planning a musical comeback, it has been reported.

The former NSync singer, who hung up his microphone in 2006 to concentrate on his acting career, is said to be working on his third solo album.

Producer Jim Beanz, recently claimed that the Friend's with Benefits star was working on some "crazy" new tracks, sparking widespread speculation that he was returning to music.

He said: "When I get back to the States I'm going to be helping out on Shock Value III with Timbaland and the Justin Timberlake project.

"It's still in the early stages, but they have a lot of tracks. While I've been in the UK they've been working, so by the time I get back they'll have a whole load of ideas and I'm going to have to catch up.

"He has some crazy, crazy stuff."

Timberlake's agent dismissed claims that he was working on a new album and insisted that the 31-year-old star was simply assisting Timbaland on the rapper's Shock Value III project.

Timberlake's two solo albums, Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds, both charted at No 1 in the UK and spawned a number of hit singles.