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There is no doubt the Rooney kids are following in their parents’ showbiz footsteps. Starring alongside his mum, eight-year-old Cass made his modelling debut last month to show off Coleen’s latest collection for Primark, just weeks after eldest son Kai landed a scholarship with Manchester United.
But while the 16-year-old is clearly a talented footballer, and hasn’t just been handed the deal because of who his dad is, that didn’t stop critics from attacking the youngster online. ‘Only because he’s Rooney’s son,’ wrote one in response to Kai’s signing on 9 July, referencing his father Wayne, 40. Someone else added, ‘That nepotism better pay off!’
But now, insiders tell heat that Coleen, 40, is hitting back at the keyboard warriors who are criticising her parenting. And while she concedes her sons may be ‘nepo babies’, they’ve still worked hard and deserve their success.
‘Kai has just signed a professional contract with Man United, so Coleen’s going to be helping with deals and media appearances. Cass enjoyed modelling with her on the Primark Campaign – he loves the camera, so she wants to get him more modelling gigs.
‘Coleen knows there’ll always be people who will call her boys nepo babies, but she doesn’t care. She’s brought them up to work hard and make the most of the opportunities that come their way – which is what a good mum should do.’
Although he’s only 16, Kai’s football career is flourishing. He’s already played for the youth teams at Manchester City and Manchester United, where he also managed six appearances for the Under-18s. Last month, he signed his first-year scholarship contract with Man Utd – where his dad is still the club’s all-time top scorer.
PJ babies, yes. as a family. Nepo babies, no © Instagram/Coleen Rooney
And Kai isn’t the only Rooney to be following in his father’s footsteps – Klay, 13, also plays for Man Utd’s academy, while Cass reportedly plays for Wayne’s former club, Everton.
Aside from football, Coleen has also set her sights on building their family brand, after the couple reportedly signed a £10million deal with Disney+ for their upcoming fly-on-the-wall documentary series The Rooneys. And our insider says that Coleen – who also shares son Kit, 10, with her husband of 18 years – is looking to a very famous face for inspiration with encouraging her talented brood.
‘Coleen recently said one of the people she would love to talk with is Kris Jenner, so she can get some tips on how to manage her children’s careers the best she can. Coleen really looks up to her and admires what she’s done for the Kardashian- Jenner family. While they’re completely different as people – Coleen would never aspire to that level of fame or excess – she can see why Kris has done what she’s done.’
The source continues, ‘Coleen is ready to be a full-on momager. She wants to use her and Wayne’s experiences to make sure all the boys are successful in what they want to do. While Wayne is the one with the football knowledge and everything that involves, Coleen is the one who’s been working on the business side of things – all four boys have shown an interest in being in the public eye.’
However, our source says that Coleen is still feeling very protective of her kids. ‘She’s seen how things can go wrong when people become famous too young and too fast, which is what happened with Wayne, and it’s even harder now with social media,’ we’re told. ‘Everyone has a phone to take pictures now, so her boys need her protection.’
The insider adds, ‘Coleen also doesn’t want anyone taking advantage of them, or using them because of their surname. She only wants deals that are right for them as individuals and as a family.’
_After freelancing across the brands for four years, [Sophie Cockerham](https://heatworld.com/author/sophie-cockerham/#/) officially joined Bauer Media as a senior content creator in August 2025 - and now writes across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours. Sophie’s favourite showbiz anecdotes include being manhandled by Idris Elba’s security; chinwagging with Alan Carr at a charity auction; swapping stage mom stories with Katherine Ryan; and calling Lewis Capaldi ‘piss funny’ (which was intended as a compliment - and he took it very well)._