Kai Rooney has shared a devastating career update. The eldest son of former Premier League forward Wayne Rooney and wife Coleen Rooney announced that he will not be able to play again this season.
It comes after Kai played a key role as Manchester United’s under-16s secured an impressive 2-0 Premier League Shield victory on Tuesday. The proud parents were in attendance to watch their son play.
In what has already been a memorable year for the club’s academy, United lifted the trophy at Carrington after dominating Burnley. A photograph of the 16-year-old with a medal draped around his neck was shared on Rooney’s social media platforms.
However, the promising season has come to an abrupt end for Kai. A black and white photo shared this morning showed him with his head dropped, as he captioned it: “Disappointed to be out for the rest of the season. Back strong next pre-season.”
Kai, who now spends most of his time with the u18s team, has enjoyed an impressive season so far, netting goals while being handed his first scholarship within the club’s youth set-up. He will be eligible to sign a professional contract next season.
The youth team have also progressed to the semi-final stage of the FA Youth Cup, as well as the final of the Premier League Cup. Earlier this month Kai took a huge step for his career.
Kai was tagged in a joint post with sports management agency Triple Sports. It said: “Delighted to announce the signing of Kai to Triple S Sports! “We’re excited to begin working with the Manchester United forward as he continues his journey in the game.
“A bright future ahead. Welcome to the team, Kai!” Both Wayne and Coleen Rooney responded to the career news.” Rooney commented on the post with a red heart emoji and shared the announcement to his own Instagram story.
Coleen also shared the post to her social media platform account, as she added a sticker which said “Proud of you” inside a heart. The unfortunate injury comes after a difficult 2025 for the footballer.
In September 2025, Kai suffered a separate injury. He uploaded a photo of himself at home wearing pyjamas and holding crutches. He suffered the injury while playing for Manchester United’s development team.
Kai has been with the United academy since the age of 11. He joined the Red Devils youth set-up in 2020. Rooney previously told BBC that his son handles the pressure of having the name “Rooney” on the back of his United shirt incredibly well and takes everything in his stride.
The former Everton forward said: “He has great coaches at Manchester United, so I take a stand off approach. I speak to him, but for me it’s all about his mentality and his mindset, to make sure he keeps enjoying it – that’s the main thing for me.”
Kai followed in his dad’s footsteps in January as he made his first competitive appearance for Manchester United at Old Trafford in an FA Youth Cup match this year.
He came on as a substitute against Derby County in the under-18s clash, which saw Manchester United reach the quarter-finals after a 2-1 extra time win. Coleen and Rooney watched from the stands as Kai entered the pitch in the 99th minute as the game was still without a goal.