POCH'S PULLING POWER! Kane is waiting for ‘perfect situation’ before return - could Man Utd now provide it?

“I’ll be honest, I am really not sure,” was the diplomatic response from Harry Kane during his latest interrogation this week.

On the eve of the match which will see England's captain become the most capped player in Three Lions history, Kane, the newly minted Ballon d'Or holder, still cannot escape talk of a romantic return to the Premier League.

Perhaps understandably so. That Kane has gone on to become the very best player on the planet since swapping Tottenham for Bayern Munich only serves as a reminder of the unfinished business he has on these shores.

A return to the Premier League, where Kane is just 47 goals short of eclipsing Alan Shearer as the outright leading scorer, is still viable even with the striker committing himself to Bayern until 2029 earlier this month. As does another crack at the domestic title that eluded him during some of Tottenham's finest days.

Kane has been respectful if not totally dismissive when pressed on the prospect of him gracing the Premier League again. “When I think about coming back, it isn’t just about the record (top goalscorer in the Premier League), there are things I haven’t achieved yet," he told talkSPORT.

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“But since I’ve been away, it has really opened my eyes that there is a big old world out there, and I think people are appreciating my game more.

“So, I think it would have to be a perfect situation for me to ever come back, and I can’t see where that would be… One day, anything is possible.”

Spurs are believed to hold an option which would enable them to position themselves ahead of any suitors should Kane deserve to bring the curtain down on his storied career in familiar surroundings. That, coupled with Kane's affection for the club, naturally make them seem the most likely option should he decide to depart the Bundesliga in a blaze of glory at some point between now and 2029.

But is the idea more romantic than realistic? And, if it is, then perhaps one of the most influential figures from Kane's past at Tottenham has the scope to throw a spanner in the works.

Mauricio Pochettino will soon become the latest name tasked with rejuvenating Manchester United, with the club currently languishing in the relegation zone after an abysmal start to the campaign. Kane flourished with Pochettino at Spurs, scoring 169 goals in 242 appearances under him. Together, they took Spurs to a Champions League final and to the cusp of Premier League glory before things slowly unravelled.

The prospect of reuniting with Pochettino in Manchester, rather than north London, would be an intriguing one. And while Spurs may have Kane's heart, prospective interest from United and Pochettino could make things more difficult if it's a case of head over heart.

After all, Tottenham may be better off in terms of league position but few would deem them to be in significantly better health than United, even in their current state. After all, six months ago Spurs only narrowly escaped relegation on the 38th and final league outing of their 2025-26 campaign. And with results under Roberto De Zerbi largely proving to be as volatile as their incumbent head coach, it's anybody's guess as to where Tottenham will find themselves in six months time.

Of course, none of that should take away from United's own malaise. Pochettino is no fool and will know he is far from entering anything close to the ideal work environment. The manner in which Carrick's position went from indisputable to untenable in six short months tells the story there. As does the fact that nobody is solely directing the finger of blame at him for United's current woes.

Of course, none of that particularly adds up to a persuasive sales pitch for the newly minted best footballer in the world.

But Kane also knows better than anybody what Pochettino is capable of building. Only time will tell whether or not the Argentine is able to rehabilitate Manchester United with the current hierarchy in situ, but the same coach who elevated Tottenham to challenging for major honours should certainly be capable of it.

First, Pochettino will have to reinforce that he still possesses the magic that has seen him become a permanent resident on United's radar over the last decade. His stint at Paris Saint-Germain finally brought an end to Pochettino's silverware drought in an arc that bears stark similarities to Kane's own odyssey to reach champion status. But his frolic in Paris, plus his subsequent spell at Chelsea, have failed to yield the same acclaim as his Tottenham tenure.

If Pochettino can prove his powers have not waned, then Manchester United - and their pulling power - inevitably will rise again.

A player of Kane's calibre will always be attractive to a club like United. And even with his advancing years, United would not be turning down the chance to acquire a world-class player, particularly given their current striker options are hardly ultra enticing.

From Kane's perspective, he will want to play in a team capable of ensuring he continues to dine on silverware. If there is a desire to return to England, that non-negotiable significantly narrows the field in terms of elite teams available to him.

Liverpool spent in excess of £120m on an elite striker last year. A move to Arsenal would torch his affiliation with Spurs and we can probably take Manchester City out of the equation for now given the current goings on. Who does that leave? United, Spurs and perhaps Chelsea, although again you wonder if Kane would be reluctant to join one of Tottenham's local rivals.

Of course, neither United or Spurs fit the bill in terms of title contenders, but Kane isn't going anywhere right now. In terms of which is the more likely to reach that level over the next couple of years, if this is still the Pochettino of old, then you would feel safer backing him over De Zerbi and Spurs.

Pochettino's influence on Kane cannot be discounted. There is a reason he has been admired by Manchester United for years.

Pochettino previously claimed that the 'ideal scenario' for him to manage United never materialised despite previous flirtations - language which is not too dissimilar to that used by Kane when asked about a return to England.

For Pochettino and United, the stars finally aligned. They could yet in terms of a Pochettino-Kane reunion down the line.