Wayne Rooney revealed what his son Kai had to do to ensure he had a future at Manchester United
Kai Rooney pictured after scoring for the U18s.
Kai Rooney has had to adapt his game for Manchester United(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
View 2 Images
Wayne Rooney revealed how his son, Kai, had to change his position at Manchester United to keep up with the times. Kai, who turned 16 in November, followed in his dad’s footsteps by joining United’s academy aged 11 back in 2020.
He is on course to follow his legendary father into the first team, having already been called up to United’s Under-18s despite his tender age. Kai could be in action for the Under-18s again on Wednesday evening as they take on Oxford United in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.
Kai even began his youth career as a striker, much like Rooney senior, who stunned the world when he burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old for Everton with his goal-scoring feats. Yet, despite excelling across various age groups as a No.9, the teenager recently made the transition into becoming a right winger.
Rooney revealed that Kai, a left-footer, has followed the wider trend in senior football of talismanic players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah cutting in from out wide. The 40-year-old former United captain admitted his son, like many others coming through academies now, was therefore drawn to playing out wide.
Addressing the lack of top quality strikers now, he said on the Wayne Rooney Show: "The standard of English players has increased massively, I just think it's purely because they don't want to play number nine.
"The way the game is tactically. If you look worldwide there's not many number nines. So it's not just a problem in England, it's a problem throughout the world in number nines."
Rooney then said about Kai: "He's gone to the right. Left-footed, coming in off the right."
Kai Rooney and Wayne Rooney pose for a picture
Wayne Rooney spoke about strikers being a dying breed(Image: 2024 JMEnternational via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Kai’s decision may have been spurred on by the growing attraction of playing on the wing rather than as a sole striker. Having to adapt his game provided the youngster with a lesson on the harsh reality of being a professional footballer, whereby they have to keep adapting and improving or risk being left behind.
After overcoming an injury setback last year, Kai appears to be reaping the rewards. In September, he posted on Instagram a mirror selfie showing himself on crutches while sporting a protective boot on his right foot.
The youngster has since returned to fitness and even featured for Darren Fletcher's Under-18s team in the FA Youth Cup clash with Derby County last month, entering as a substitute during the 2-1 fourth round triumph.
It marked Kai's long-awaited debut at United's famous home ground, nearly nine years after his dad played at Old Trafford for the final time, though he'd already played for the Under-18s in less illustrious surroundings.