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Kai Rooney's Man Utd statement, Wayne and Coleen's show of support and heartbreaking update
Mar 26 2026 16:12 · By Abbie Meehan/Senior Sports Writer · 38 Reads
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Kai Rooney has revealed he'll be sidelined for the remainder of the season following an injury setback. The 16-year-old had been enjoying a significant upward trajectory at Manchester United after earning seven appearances and netting twice.
The youngster was part of the U16s squad that lifted the Premier League Shield and has turned out for Darren Fletcher's U18s side throughout this campaign.
Kai is striving to emulate his father, Wayne, and his legacy at Old Trafford. The striker became a legend at United, bagging 253 goals and laying on 143 assists across 559 outings for the club.
He claimed a mountain of silverware, including five Premier League titles, one Champions League , a Europa League trophy and numerous domestic cups.
Kai had been progressing impressively at United this season but a setback has now emerged. Here, Mirror Football has all the latest on the teenage prospect.
Kai Rooney has confirmed he's picked up an injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. This has robbed the teenager of the opportunity to feature in the U18s' pursuit of FA Youth Cup glory.
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In a heartfelt message on his Instagram story, the 16-year-old wrote: "Disappointed to be out for the rest of the season. Back stronger next pre-season," accompanied by a red love heart emoji. The message appeared over a black-and-white photograph of Kai wearing a United strip during a match.
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The United youth team have been enjoying success with Kai amongst their ranks, as he made his maiden appearance at Old Trafford during an FA Youth Cup fourth-round victory over Derby County. The side will face Crystal Palace in the semi-finals and meet the same opposition at Selhurst Park in the Premier League Cup final.
The U18s are engaged in a tight battle at the top of the league with Manchester City , but Kai will now be unable to feature in the run-in.
Parents Wayne and Coleen were present to back Kai at his final outing before his injury was confirmed. The 16-year-old helped the U16s secure an impressive 2-0 triumph in the Premier League Shield on Tuesday.
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The Rooney family were in attendance to cheer Kai on as Wayne shared a photograph of the teenager on social media, with a medal draped around his neck. Youngest brother Cass was also there to witness the victory.
Despite previously preventing his famous father from attending the fixtures as per Coleen, the young player's mother acknowledged he is accustomed to dealing with fame. Speaking to The Times , Coleen said: "He's lived it from a young age.
"When we used to go to matches when he was younger and he'd get a lot of people coming up saying, 'Oh, are you Wayne Rooney's son?'
"But he is strong-minded and he always has been. I've got no worries about the way he deals with it. It's nice that we know what to expect.
"And we can try to guide him. Obviously, it's his life, his passion. He can decide what he wants to do. But I think it's good we've got the knowledge."
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Kai has been enjoying an excellent year so far in United's youth ranks. Following his goal for the U18s, the teenager has been handed a scholarship within the youth system and will be eligible to sign a professional contract next season.
The youngster has also joined Triple S Sports, an agency that secured a long-term arrangement with father Wayne. Other United first-team players, including Harry Maguire , are amongst the agency's roster.
They confirmed the signing on Instagram with a caption that read: "Delighted to announce the signing of @kairooney.10 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."
The left-winger also penned a boot deal with Puma in 2022 when he was just 12 years old. However, Kai is forbidden from wearing his Puma boots when featuring for the U16s due to a long-established club policy.
Speaking on the Smith Brothers: Not A Podcast , father Wayne said: "He's obviously with Puma but when he plays for the Manchester United U16s, something which I really like is he can't wear his Puma boots.