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Coleen and Wayne Rooney proudly watched on as their son Kai was awarded the Under 16 Premier League Shield with Manchester United on Tuesday.
The teen has followed in his father’s footsteps by signing a contract with the club, and while he’s already a regular in the Under 16s side, he’s already been called upon to play in the Under 18s team as well.
After his team stormed to victory in the Premier League Shield, Kai posed for a proud selfie with his winner’s medal.
His proud parents Coleen and Wayne beamed in the snap alongside their younger son Kit, 10.
Kai has become one of the most sought-after youngsters in the junior age groups, and he’s already keen to carve out a sporting career, having signed to the same super agent as his father, Triple S Sports.
Triple S posted a picture of Kai, sporting a wide grin, on social media alongside the caption: ‘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.’
Kai scored from off the bench for United’s Under 18s in a 3-1 victory against West Ham to book a meeting with Crystal Palace in the Under 18 Premier League Cup final earlier this month.
The victory came under the watchful eye of United’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who made a rare appearance in the academy stands to see the youngsters play their way to the final.
Kai is a regular in the Under 16s side, but has been promoted at various times this season to add additional heft to Darren Fletcher’s Under 18s squad.
He has made five appearances in the Under 18 Premier League this term, while he has also featured in the FA Youth Cup under Fletcher, coming on as United beat Derby at Old Trafford in January.
Like team-mate JJ Gabriel, who has attracted a raft of headlines for his unique young talent, Kai is a player United are keen to hold on to, with the Sun reporting that he had been offered a £50,000-per-year scholarship deal by the club, alongside a ‘very strong’ group of 13 other youngsters.
But despite performing well in United colours in the same shirt as his famous father once did, Kai has been keen to stress that he is intent on doing things his own way.
‘I’m trying to make a name for myself, not try and be my dad because I’m my own person,’ Kai said back in August 2024.
‘I want to see how my career goes, obviously try to do the best I can and try to reach the biggest stages.
‘I’m just focusing on me and to try to not let any pressure get to me and just keep working on me day by day, month by month.’
His parents, meanwhile, have been keen to stress that they are keeping the pressure off their young son.
‘He has great coaches at Manchester United, so I take a stand-off approach,’ Wayne told the BBC last year.
‘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.’
Meanwhile Coleen told The Times earlier this year: ‘He’s lived it (being Wayne’s son) from a young age. When we used to go to matches when he was younger, he’d get a lot of people coming up saying, ‘Oh, are you Wayne Rooney’s son?’
‘But he’s strong-minded, always has been. I’ve got no worries in the way he deals with it.’
