Man United make 'important' decision as Kai Rooney bids to follow in father Wayne Rooney's footsteps

Manchester United have reportedly offered Kai Rooney a new contract, with the Red Devils earmarking the 16-year-old as a potential future first-team star.

Kai is the eldest son of Man United legend and the club's all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney, who is one of the best English players of all the time.

The teenager has been in Man United's academy for several years, and according to The Sun, the Red Devils have now offered him a new contract.

The report claims that Kai is a part of a 14-strong group who have been offered new deals by the 20-time English champions, including head coach Michael Carrick's son Jacey Carrick.

16-year-old Kai Rooney made his Old Trafford debut in the FA Youth Cup in front of dad Wayne and first team head coach Michael Carrick ✨ pic.twitter.com/9tBSLpi0OY

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 24, 2026

Man Utd 'offer' Kai Rooney new contract at Old Trafford

Kai is a left-footed forward and has allegedly been offered a one-year scholarship which would then switch to a professional contract, earning him approximately £50,000 a year over three years and an annual signing-on fee.

As it stands, the Rooney family have reportedly not accepted the deal.

Kai has scored once in three appearances in the Under-18s Premier League this season, while he has also appeared in the FA Youth Cup.

The teenager netted against Middlesbrough Under-18s back in August, while he came off the bench against Derby County Under-18s in the FA Youth Cup at the end of January.

Then and now. Proud of you Kai ❤️ pic.twitter.com/S9WJ8C8Ky9

— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) January 24, 2026

Man Utd earmark Kai Rooney as 'future first-team star'

Describing his eldest son on The Overlap, Rooney said: “[He has] my physique, but he’ll be taller than me and he’s a goalscorer, he’s in the box, he sniffs chances out and that’s his game, so he’s doing OK.”

Rooney will forever be remembered as one of the best players in the history of the sport, starting his professional career at Everton before famously moving to Man United in 2017, and he scored 253 times for the Red Devils in all competitions.

The former attacker would also go on to play for Everton for a second time, DC United and Derby County before retiring to make the step into coaching.

Rooney, who has four sons in total, has been in charge of Derby County, DC United, Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle.