'Rooney name will only get him so far' - Coleen making sure Man Utd academy wonderkid Kai avoids repeating mistakes of record-breaking dad Wayne

Having seen ex-England captain Wayne become the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer, Manchester United have high hopes for another Rooney on their books. Kai, at 15 years of age, continues to catch the eye in the Red Devils’ academy system.

He has been collecting trophies at youth level, while displaying the same eye for goal that made his dad a global icon, but has found it difficult at times to handle the attention that being a Rooney brings.

With that in mind, his mother Coleen is doing all she can to keep Kai on the straight and narrow. Wayne slipped off those tracks in his younger years, but the Rooneys have taken important lessons from those experiences.

A source has told The Sun of how Coleen is handling her son’s blossoming football career: “Kai is already being touted as one to watch and played a big part in Man United winning the Under 15s league. He’s being tipped to become a first team player within the next couple of years.

“But Coleen is making sure that he doesn’t rely on it and has told him he has to do his GCSEs next year and still work hard at school as nobody knows what’s going to happen. She’s playing a big part in his career though and is making sure he’s well protected and isn’t thrust into the limelight like Wayne was at such a young age.”

The source added: “All the boys are obsessed with football, so Coleen’s had no choice but to embrace it. She wasn’t sure how good they would be, but there’s no denying that Kai has his dad’s talents, and has the potential to make it big.

“Kai is very good, and Coleen and Wayne have always drummed into him that he has to train hard and dedicate himself to it if he wants to make it. But Coleen is determined that he’ll stay grounded, whatever happens. She also knows she’ll have to prepare him for the disappointment if it doesn’t work out. The Rooney name will only get him so far.”

Wayne has been able to watch more of Kai in recent weeks, as a documentary about his family life is lined up by Disney+, with the ex-United and Everton star taking in another enforced break from management after flopping in his last two coaching roles at Birmingham and Plymouth.