One thing Wayne Rooney makes son Kai do as Man Utd youngster's injury takes its toll

Wayne Rooney has revealed the footballing guidance he's given his children as his eldest son, Kai, battles injury. The 15-year-old, who plays for Manchester United's youth setup, has followed his father's path by representing the Red Devils and recently secured promotion to the club's under-19s squad, showcasing his promising talent.

Nevertheless, the teenager's progress - which included netting a stunning left-foot volley for the U18s - has been sadly interrupted after he posted an Instagram mirror selfie showing himself on crutches whilst sporting a protective boot on his right foot. Kai, 15, accompanied the image with: "Life can't get worse," adding a crying emoji to the brief post, indicating he's sustained an injury whilst playing for United's academy.

Whilst the severity of the injury or duration of his absence remains unconfirmed, it's unclear when the youngster might expect to make his on-field return. It was back in 2020 when he initially joined United's youth system aged 11, and although he typically operates centrally like Rooney Sr, he's displayed adaptability with performances on the wings.

Beyond the training he's received at United, he surely benefits from having someone at home with extensive knowledge of everything football in his father. During Friday's edition of , the 39-year-old explored the advice he'd offer his sons regarding their understanding of how to improve their footballing abilities.

"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," he said to Shaun Wright-Phillips, Kelly Somers and Kae Kurd. "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'." Despite offering pearls of wisdom to his children throughout the years regarding football matters, the former England skipper confessed he favours letting Kai discover his own path in the sport without offering him relentless guidance.

In an interview with BBC Sport during the Super Cup NI tournament in Northern Ireland, Rooney revealed: "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." Following his sacking from Plymouth Argyle last year after merely 25 matches at the helm, Rooney remains without a managerial position.