The goalkeeper already on the books of a Premier League club, the twins who played for arch rivals City, and the son of BBC star ready to shine: Meet the Man United nepo babies hoping to follow in their famous fathers’ footsteps

Wayne Rooney‘s son Kai is a young man on the rise. 

The 15-year-old made headlines after being named in Man United‘s Under-18 squad for the new season by his father’s ex-teammate Darren Fletcher. 

He has looked as though he belongs at that level after scoring in his side’s 5-0 rout on Saturday, while fellow youngster JJ Gabriel also got on the scoresheet twice.  

Capable of playing as a striker or out wide, Kai impressed for United at the Super Cup NI in Northern Ireland earlier this summer.

The oldest son of Wayne and Colleen Rooney, Kai was born in November 2009. 

Following his call-up to Man United’s U18 side, here is a rundown of the other youngsters who are following in their fathers’ footsteps by forging a football career.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. 

There is no better place to start than with the son of one of the finest players to have ever pulled on a Manchester United shirt in Cristiano Ronaldo. 

His son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, 15, scored his first goal for Portugal’s U15 side in May before celebrating in familiar fashion. 

Playing for the national side’s age-group outfit against Croatia, Ronaldo Jr broke the deadlock after just 11 minutes. 

The goal came after the ball broke to him inside the 18-yard box, which he crashed home off the woodwork into the roof of the net.  

He then paid homage to his father by whipping out the so-called ‘SIU’ celebration made famous by Ronaldo Sr. 

Ronaldo Sr made his senior Portugal debut in 2003 at the age of 18, and looks set to play in his sixth World Cup next year.

Ronaldo Jr is currently part of the youth academy at Al-Nassr, the Saudi Pro League side where his father is still plying his trade at the age of 40. 

Lorenz Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand cemented himself as a Manchester United club legend by winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008 as part of a trophy-laden spell under Sir Alex Ferguson where he won 14 major honours overall. 

His son, Lorenz, 18, is primed to tread the same path after signing his first professional contract for Brighton this summer having joined the Seagulls at the age of 13. 

Lorenz, who is a goalkeeper, spent two months on loan with Havant & Waterlooville during the 2024-25 campaign, having made his Premier League 2 debut in January this year. 

He has also made 20 league appearances for Brighton’s U18 side.

Jack and Tyler Fletcher

Like Rio Ferdinand, Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher was also part of United’s 2008 Champions League-winning side. 

Making 342 appearances for United, Fletcher became a mainstay of the latter Ferguson years having come through the club’s academy. 

He then had spells at West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City before hanging up his boots in 2019 – and is now United’s U18 coach. 

His sons Jack and Tyler risked incurred the potential wrath of United supporters by becoming part of Man City’s academy, before the pair made the move from Eastlands to Old Trafford in 2023 in a £1.25m double transfer in what is a record fee paid for British players under the age of 16. 

While Jack has represented Scotland at U16 level, he would switch allegiances by going on to play for England’s U16, U17 and U18 sides – while Tyler sided with his father by opting to play for Scotland. 

Tyler Young 

While he may not have a trophy cabinet as decorated as some of the other fathers whose sons feature on this list, Ashley Young did have the privilege of playing against his son. 

Tyler Young, 19, came out on the losing side against Ashley, 40, when Everton beat Peterbrough United in the third round of the FA Cup in January. 

The younger Young spent time on the books at Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers and MK Dons before moving to Peterbrough – where he was released at the end of last season without making an appearance for the club. 

He has now been snapped up by Ipswich Town’s U21 team, who won their opening game of the Premier League 2 season 4-3 against Derby County last Friday. 

Shaqueel van Persie

Robin van Persie endeared himself to Manchester United fans by scoring 26 goals as the Red Devils regained the Premier League title in the 2012-13 season after signing him from rivals Arsenal. 

However, he would not be at Old Trafford for much longer beyond then as he left the club in 2015 to join Turkish side Fenerbahce. 

It was during van Persie’s time with Arsenal that his son, Shaqueel, was born in London in November 2006. 

Now 18, Shaqueel has returned to the Netherlands, where he is part of the academy at his father’s boyhood club, Feyenoord, having previously spent time at Manchester CIty from 2015 to 2017. 

While he is yet to make a senior appearance for the Eredivisie side, Shaqueel has played for the Netherlands at age-group level. 

Charlie Savage

A player who was part of the fabled Class of ’92, Robbie Savage was one of the more unheralded members of a group that included the likes of Gary Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. 

Savage never made a senior appearance for United but still had an impressive career, featuring regularly at international level for Wales and playing in the Premier League for Leicester, Birmingham, Blackburn and Derby. 

Going on to become a familiar face thanks to his punditry work, Savage has seen his son Charlie, 22, also come through the Man United academy. 

Like his father, he never played a senior game for United, but has featured regularly for Reading since joining the Royals in 2023. 

Harvey Neville

Related to two former United players as the son of Phil Neville and nephew of his brother Gary, Harvey Neville, 23, came through the youth setups at both United and City. 

While he made 11 appearances for Lionel Messi’s current club, Inter Miami, in the 2022-23 season, Harvey failed to nail down a starting spot at the MLS side. 

That has seen him join US second tier side San Antonio FC on loan from Phoenix Rising ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. 

He has also represented the Republic of Ireland at U19 as he qualifies for the team through his maternal grandmother.