Wayne Rooney’s son Kai set to make Old Trafford debut as Man Utd prospect nears return from injury

Rooney was hit with a devastating setback in September when he suffered an injury that forced him onto crutches. The youngster posted an update on social media that also showed him wearing a protective boot. “Life can’t get worse,” was the emotional message he posted alongside the images, a heartfelt update that showed just how frustrated he was to be out of action and on the sidelines. However, Rooney is now on the comeback trail and closing in on a return to competitive action. He was spotted back in training at the start of the month, meaning it should not be too long before he is finally given the green light to return.

Rooney will be hoping he is ready to play for the U18s against Peterborough on Tuesday, December 9. The youth team have been given permission to play the game at Old Trafford, rather than Leigh Sports Village, meaning Rooney could be set to follow in his father’s footsteps by gracing the famous old stadium, according to the Manchester Evening News. Rooney could be joined in the XI by another exciting United talent, JJ Gabriel. The teenage sensation, who has already been dubbed ‘Kid Messi’, has already starred for the U18s this season, and could also get his first taste of Old Trafford next month.

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Seeing Kai run out at Old Trafford would undoubtedly be a proud and emotional moment for dad Wayne. However, it’s not entirely clear yet if the Man Utd legend will take a trip to the stadium to watch the U18s in action. Wife Coleen has revealed that Kai had been forced to ask his father to stay away from matches due to the attention he generates. She said on  I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!: “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. How do you say to all of these kids, ‘Go away, I’m watching my son? Adults, it’s different you could speak to them, so he [Kai] just said, ‘Oh, dad there’s no point you coming because you don’t even watch me play anyway.’ Which is sad, but it can’t be helped anyway. At the same time, the fans help you along the way and get you where you are.”

Rooney has admitted to offering his sons some pointers when it comes to football. He told The Wayne Rooney Show: “I’m quite lucky where I live as I’ve got a little pitch there and when the kids say, ‘we’re coming on the pitch’, all they’re gonna do is tie the balls on the top corner. So when I say to them when I was younger, I remember setting a little square to practice passing into it and just playing off the wall. So I’m very similar, [I tell them] ‘you need to work on your speed, you need to work on your technique and control.’ Otherwise, you go out and you’re just like, ‘watch me hit the ball in the top corner’.”

However, Rooney also admitted during the Super Cup NI tournament in Northern Ireland during the summer that he does try to take a step back to avoid piling on the pressure. He told BBC Sport: “I just let him play. I think they started the competition well, they won 3-0, he scored the penalty and got an assist. So I think he started OK. He just plays and that’s all he’s done during his time playing. I think it’s very unfair for anyone to expect him to go and do all kinds. He’s just playing, he’s a 15-year-old boy playing his football, enjoying it. Of course he gets different attention to a lot of his team-mates but I think he handles that really well.”

Rooney’s injury means he’s only made two appearances so far this season and will surely be eager to make up for lost time when he does play again. In the meantime, the Rooney family will no doubt be keeping a close on Ruben Amorim’s side when the Red Devils return to action. United will be aiming to bounce back from a dismal defeat to 10-man Everton last time out and face a trip to Selhurst Park on Sunday to take on Crystal Palace.