Kai Rooney will miss Manchester United's FA Youth Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace due to a season-ending injury. The 16-year-old, son of club legend Wayne Rooney, will not feature in the squad for Friday's clash as United aim to reach the final against Manchester City.
The young forward had made his Old Trafford debut in January, coming off the bench in a 2-1 win over Derby County in the fourth round. He scored two goals and provided one assist in just 119 minutes of playing time for the U18s under coach Darren Fletcher.
Rooney announced his injury on Instagram last month, writing: 'Disappointed to be out for the rest of the season. Back stronger next pre-season.' Earlier in the campaign, he shared a picture of himself in a medical boot and on crutches, captioning it: 'Life can't get worse.'
Despite the setbacks, the teenager enjoyed some success in the 2025/26 season, featuring in the U16s squad that won the Super Cup NI. His father Wayne was proud to see him make his Old Trafford bow, especially after Kai had previously banned his dad from attending grassroots matches due to the attention he attracted.
Kai will now watch from the sidelines as United's U18s bid to reach the Youth Cup final without him.
