Kai Rooney banned from wearing his own boots by Manchester United

Kai Rooney has been banned from wearing his own boots for Manchester United's youth team - and his father Wayne approves of the rule.

The 16-year-old joined United's academy aged 11 and is hoping to emulate his dad by one day starring for the first team.

That might not be so distant a prospect considering he started this season playing for the under-19s - three age groups up - and has been making waves with his goalscoring feats.

He signed a deal with Puma aged 12 - the kind of opportunity that knocks when you're a football legend's son - but he can't wear their boots.

Wayne told The Smith Brothers: Not A Podcast: 'He’s obviously with Puma but when he plays for the Manchester United U16s, something which I really like is he can’t wear his Puma boots.

'All the academy have to wear the same boots. They do it because there’s people from areas where they can’t afford certain boots so I think it’s really good.

'But he’s played for the U18s a few times and he can then wear his Puma boots. He’s doing well to be fair to him.'

And it's in those Puma boots with the under-18s that he has made further strides towards his dream.

Earlier this season, he scored his first goal for the U18s with a left-footed volley rifled into the top corner against Middlesbrough.

However, Rooney suffered an injury and claimed in September that 'life can't get worse' as he shared a snap of himself on Instagram.

Unfortunately, he has had to ban dad Wayne from watching him play because of the attention he brings.

His mum Coleen Rooney revealed on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! last year: '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 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.'