Wayne Rooney’s son, Kai, has been offered a one-year scholarship by Manchester United, a deal that would transition into a three-year professional contract worth approximately £50,000 per year.
The eldest son of the club legend has been with United’s academy since 2020, after previously training with Manchester City’s youth setup. He is currently featuring for the club’s Under‑18s, where he recently made his first appearance at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup against Derby County.
Kai has been deployed across the attacking line for United’s youth squads, scoring goals in the Under‑18 Premier League Cup and other academy fixtures.
He returned from a minor injury in the 2025 season and has regained form, scoring in a 6‑0 victory over Birmingham City.
The Sun reports that Manchester United’s youth management have integrated the 16-year-old within a broader group of 14 academy players who were offered similar scholarships, designed to formalise their pathway into professional football.
The United academy maintains strict standards for all youth players, including kit regulations and training protocols, ensuring that they are treated consistently alongside peers such as Jacey Carrick, the son of Michael Carrick.
The club expects a decision from the Rooney family about the offer by mid-2026, ahead of the age when the scholarship automatically converts into a professional contract.
Kai, who finishes school later in the year, is the eldest of four Rooney sons, with younger brothers Klay and Cass also pursuing youth football careers, the former within Manchester United’s setup and the latter at Everton’s academy.
