‘Dangerous’ - Kai Rooney girlfriend fears raised by mum Coleen as son of Man Utd legend Wayne is urged to focus on football after links to model Rosa Jackson

The Rooneys enjoyed a family holiday in Barbados at the start of 2026, with Coleen and Wayne being joined in the Caribbean by their four sons. Plenty of bonding took place there, alongside in-depth discussions.

Coleen is said to have been left “feeling emotional” about the paths - both professionally and personally - that Kai is heading down. She wants him to avoid the trappings of fame that ex-England captain Wayne struggled to steer clear of.

A source has told Closer: “Their holiday was a great time to reconnect as a family and Coleen took the opportunity to tell Kai that if he’s really set on his football career then it has to come first.

“Not because she’s against him having a girlfriend – she isn’t – but because she knows how quickly life can pull you in different directions when you’re young. He’s not just another academy kid – he’s Wayne Rooney’s son. That comes with attention, comparisons and noise – and Coleen wants to keep him grounded.”

Kai, who regularly showcases his talent on social media and appears to have inherited goalscoring ability from his famous father, is currently turning out for United’s U18 team and will hope to make a senior breakthrough at some point in the not-too-distant future.

He has been romantically linked to aspiring model Jackson, with the pair enjoying a date night at Nandos in September 2025. They are said to have been “on and off over the past few months”.

Closer’s insider added: “This is Kai’s first girlfriend, and Coleen remembers exactly what that time of life feels like. It’s all very young and very normal, but it’s very unlikely to be his first and last, like Coleen and Wayne had.”

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Wayne and Coleen met when they were 12 and started dating four years later in 2002. Closer went on to say of the Rooneys trying to keep Kai on the straight and narrow: “Coleen thinks Rosa’s a lovely girl. There’s no animosity. But she’s told Kai: ‘Build your career first, know who you are – then settle down’. Coleen didn’t have that luxury herself, and she wants something different for him. She’s seen how quickly fame can arrive and how dangerous it can be when you’re still figuring yourself out.”

They added: “Coleen knows how intoxicating young love can be and how distracting it can become if you don’t have your priorities straight. She wants Kai to be single-minded – there’s plenty of time for relationships later. 

“She doesn’t want Kai to repeat the mistakes of his dad in the glare of the spotlight. She wants him to be sure of himself and of any relationship he chooses to commit to.”

Kai will not turn 17 until November 2026, with there still a lot for him to learn on and off the field. He enjoys the kind of opportunities that few are afforded, with his parents eager to ensure that he makes the most of those.

Closer’s source said: “Coleen gets emotional thinking about how fast this is all moving. One minute he’s her little boy – and the next, he’s being talked about as the next big thing. She wants to shield him from pressure and enjoy football for the love of it, not because of expectation. She’s absolutely not saying: ‘Don’t fall in love’ – she’s simply saying: ‘Don’t lose yourself’.”

Kai has already got into the trophy-winning habit with United’s youth teams and is being tipped to become a senior star. Dad Wayne is the Red Devils’ all-time leading scorer, with 253 goals to his name, and would love to see another Rooney leading the line at Old Trafford.