16-year-old forward Kai Rooney is part of Manchester United’s academy set-up as he looks to follow in Wayne’s footsteps
14:47, 23 Jan 2026Updated 15:05, 23 Jan 2026
Kai Rooney in action during the Under 18 Premier League between Manchester United U18s and Middlesbrough U18s. (Image: Anthony Devlin/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Kai Rooney, the son of Manchester United legend Wayne, has hinted that he could make his debut at Old Trafford tonight (Friday).
Despite his age, the 16-year-old has been featuring for the club’s U18s team this season. He has posted a hint that he may be involved in Friday night’s FA Youth Cup tie against Derby County at Old Trafford.
Taking to Instagram ahead of the match, Rooney Jr has posted a picture of him as a young boy walking around the Old Trafford pitch with his dad in the 2014/15 season. He wrote “OT” along with a red heart and eyes emoji.
While the U18s fixtures usually take place either at Leigh Sports Village or at Carrington, bigger matches, such as in the FA Youth Cup, do get moved to Old Trafford. The home ground is available this weekend due to the United’s first team being away at Arsenal on Sunday.
Speaking about the possibility of Kai following in his father’s footsteps, Coleen Rooney told the Mirror back in 2024: “We’ve never pressured them into even playing football. We’ve always just let them decide what they want to do.
Kai Rooney’s cryptic hint(Image: Kairooney.10/Instagram)
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“My eight-year-old was playing and doing really well but then decided he didn’t want to, and that’s OK.
“I think they sometimes get pressure off other people, you know. People approach them now and then if we’re out, they do say, ‘Are you are as good as your dad?’
“Kai says ‘I’m a different type of player.’ You’ve got to let them know that you don’t have to follow and to be your own person.”
Coleen also revealed while on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here in 2024, how Wayne Rooney was banned from attending Kai’s games early in his career.
“That’s the thing with kids I think, it’s hard to go on days out,” she said. “Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games, when he played grassroots tournaments and stuff because he used to get swarmed and he couldn’t even watch the game.
“How do you say to all of these kids, ‘Go away, I’m watching my son?’ Adults, it’s different, you could speak to them. So he (Kai) just said, ‘Oh, dad there’s no point you coming because you don’t even watch me play anyway.’ Which is sad, but it can’t be helped anyway. At the same time, the fans help you along the way and get you where you are.”
United’s Youth Cup game against Derby is in the fourth round proper. United last won the competition back in 2022 when they beat Nottingham Forest in the final.
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