Kai Rooney will miss Manchester United's FA Youth Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace on Friday
Kai Rooney of Manchester United warms up during the Fa Youth Cup quarter final between Manchester United U18 and Sunderland U18 at Old Trafford on March 18, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Kai Rooney won't play for Manchester United again this season(Image: Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)
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Kai Rooney will be absent from Manchester United's FA Youth Cup semi-final clash with Crystal Palace following a season-ending injury. The emerging talent won't feature in the squad on Friday as United look to progress past Palace and reach the competition's final against Manchester City.
The 16-year-old has been taking his initial steps towards mirroring his father Wayne's career in England. Kai made his maiden appearance at Old Trafford in January, entering as a substitute as the U18s defeated Derby County in the Youth Cup's fourth round.
Yet, after registering two goals and one assist in just 119 minutes of play under Darren Fletcher, the teenager won't don the iconic shirt again this campaign. The young Rooney last month informed his social media followers that he'll be sidelined for the remainder of the season while recovering from injury.
He posted on Instagram: "Disappointed to be out for the rest of the season. Back stronger next pre-season."
This unfortunate announcement isn't the first occasion Rooney has documented his injury struggles online. Earlier in the campaign, the 16-year-old shared a photograph of himself wearing a medical boot and using crutches, sharing his feelings on being sidelined with the caption: "Life can't get worse."
Rooney's two physical setbacks have proved challenging for the teenager to navigate as he attempts to become the next rising star at Old Trafford. Nevertheless, the 2025/26 season has brought moments of achievement for Kai, as he featured in the U16s squad that lifted the Super Cup NI.
Kai Rooney of Manchester United during the FA Youth Cup fourth round match between Manchester United and Derby County at Old Trafford on January 23, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Rooney has dealt with multiple injuries this campaign(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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This triumph has been accompanied by the pride Wayne would have felt witnessing his son make his Old Trafford bow in January during the 2-1 victory against Derby. It proved a welcome chance for the elder Rooney to watch his son in action after Kai prohibited his dad from attending his matches in person.
During her stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2024, mum Coleen revealed Kai had imposed a ban on Wayne owing to the attention he attracted. She said: "That's the thing with kids, I think, it's hard to go on days out.
"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."
Kai himself will now need to observe from the touchline as the U18s chase a spot in the FA Youth Cup final.