{{Short description|English footballer (born 2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jake Rooney | image_size = | caption = | fullname = Jake Richard Rooney<ref name="SW">{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/jake-rooney/646971/|title=England - J. Rooney - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway|website=uk.soccerway.com}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|8|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Liverpool, England | height = 1.88m<ref name="SW"/> | position = Defender | currentclub = Derby County | clubnumber = 20 | youthyears1 = 2014–2018 | youthclubs1 = Tranmere Rovers | youthyears2 = 2018–2022 | youthclubs2 = Burnley | years1 = 2022– | clubs1 = Derby County | caps1 = 12 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2025–2026 | clubs2 = → Barnsley (loan) | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2026 | clubs3 = → Boston United (loan) | caps3 = 16 | goals3 = 3 | club-update = 20:17, 13 May 2026 (UTC) }} '''Jake Richard Rooney''' (born 22 August 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|DerbyCou}} club Derby County.
Rooney spent time in the academies at Tranmere Rovers and Burnley, before signing with Derby County's under-21 in August 2022, he would make his league debut for Derby County in November 2022, in July 2023 Rooney signed a three-year contract at Derby, in August 2023, Rooney picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury which left him on the sidelines for a year. After this setback, Rooney was loaned to Barnsley on a one year deal, but this deal was terminated in January 2026. Later in the month, he joined Boston United on loan until the end of the season. In June 2026, he is set to leave Derby County at the expiry of his contract.
==Personal life== Rooney is a cousin of former England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney and Macclesfield manager John Rooney.<ref name=DCFC/>
==Career== ===Youth career=== Rooney joined the Burnley academy at age 14,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/player/jake-rooney|title=Jake Rooney - Burnley Football Club|via=www.burnleyfootballclub.com}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> after leaving Tranmere Rovers following the closure of their academy.
===Derby County=== He joined Derby County on 8 August 2022, following a trial period with the club, and made his debut the following day, playing 63 minutes of Derby's 2–1 EFL Cup first round win at Mansfield Town.<ref name=DCFC>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2022/08/rams-add-defender-rooney-to-under-21-ranks|title=Rams add defender Rooney to Under-21 ranks|via=www.dcfc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62388039|title=Mansfield Town 1-2 Derby County|work=BBC Sport }}</ref> Rooney would make his first league appearance in a 3–1 win at Milton Keynes Dons on 14 November 2022, playing the entire 90 minutes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63523616|title=Milton Keynes Dons 1-3 Derby County|work=BBC Sport|date=12 November 2022|access-date=14 May 2023}}</ref> Rooney would feature in the majority of first team matchday squads during the season as he made a total 18 appearances during his first season with the club.
On 11 July 2023 it was announced that Rooney had signed a three-year contract extension, extending his stay at Derby until June 2026.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-jake-rooney-contract-8590186|title=Derby County defender signs new contract after impressive season|work=Derby Telegraph|date=11 July 2023|access-date=11 July 2023}}</ref> At the start of the 2023–24 season, Rooney would feature as an unused substitute in Derby's opening four games of the season, but after injuries to Joe Ward and Kane Wilson, Rooney would start the next three games at right-back,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.derbycounty.news/news/massive-blow-paul-warne-confirms-that-derby-county-trio-will-be-out-of-action-for-a-long-time/|title='Massive blow': Paul Warne confirms that Derby County trio will be out of action for a long time|work=derbycounty.news|date=20 August 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref> in the third of these games against Bolton Wanderers on 2 September Rooney was substituted off after 14 after a serious looking injury.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66624745|title=Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Derby County|work=BBC Sport|date=2 September 2022|access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref><ref name=acl2023>{{Cite news|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jake-rooney-set-scan-derby-8723212|title=Jake Rooney set for scan as Derby County boss rues 'heartbreaking' injury|work=Derby Telegraph|date=2 September 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref> He underwent a scan<ref name=acl2023/> to check the severity of the injury, on 6 September 2023 the scan results confirmed anterior cruciate ligament damage in his right knee, with the 20-year old defender expected to be sidelined for a "significant period".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66733518.amp|title=Jake Rooney: Derby County defender out with knee injury|work=BBC Sport|date=6 September 2022|access-date=8 September 2023}}</ref> In a February 2024 interview to the ''Derby Telegraph'', Rooney thanked the support of the club, his teammates and family during his recovery and took up his hobby of playing the guitar during his rehab, which was said to be going "better than expected" with a return to training before the end of the season possible.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jake-rooney-derby-county-interview-9106297|title='I thought it was all a dream' - Jake Rooney opens up on Derby County, injury and Wayne's advice|work=Derby Telegraph|date=21 February 2024|access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref> Rooney did not feature in any further games for Derby in 2023–24; he made a total of three appearances for Derby during the season, as they secured promotion to the Championship.<ref name=2324promotion>{{cite news|title=Breaking: Derby County promoted as duo seal it for Paul Warne's side|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/breaking-derby-county-promoted-duo-9250843|publisher=Derby Telegraph|date=27 April 2024|accessdate=28 April 2024}}</ref>
Rooney returned to action in a 2024–25 pre-season friendly against Matlock Town on 12 July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2024/07/pre-season-match-report-matlock-town-vs-derby-county-july-2024|title=Pre Season Match Report: Matlock Town 0–3 Derby County|via=www.dcfc.co.uk|date=12 July 2024|access-date=25 July 2024}}</ref> However just a week later in a pre-season training camp in Spain, Rooney picked up another knee injury which is expected to rule him out for the first four months of the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Derby County rocked by major Jake Rooney injury blow |url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-injuries-jake-rooney-9435897|publisher=Derby Telegraph|date=25 July 2024|accessdate=25 July 2024}}</ref>
After a two-year absence; Rooney appeared for the first team on 12 August 2025, in Derby's EFL Cup match at West Bromwich Albion.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eustace 'really proud' of squad after Cup win|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c2enj2m4pj2o|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 August 2025|accessdate=28 August 2025}}</ref>
Rooney was linked with either a loan move or permanent move away from ''The Rams'' during the 2025 summer transfer window.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-09-01 |title=Jake Rooney lined up for Derby County reunion as EFL club shows interest |url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-transfers-jake-rooney-10467740 |access-date=2025-09-02 |work=Derbyshire Live |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> On 1 September 2025, Rooney would complete a deadline-day loan move to EFL League One outfit Barnsley for one year.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Jake Rooney joins the Reds!" |url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2025/september/01/jake-rooney-joins-the-reds/ |date=2025-09-01 |access-date=2025-09-02 |website=www.barnsleyfc.co.uk}}</ref> At Barnsley, he linked up with former team-mates David McGoldrick as well as Conor Hourihane, who is the current Barnsley manager.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-18 |title=Conor Hourihane appointed Barnsley head coach on permanent basis |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c4g7wzg34g7o |access-date=2025-09-02 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title="DAVID McGOLDRICK SIGNS FOR THE REDS" |url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2025/july/09/david-mcgoldrick-signs-for-the-reds/ |date=2025-07-09 |access-date=2025-09-02 |website=www.barnsleyfc.co.uk}}</ref> After making seven apperances for Barnsley, with only of these being in the league Rooney's loan was terminated on 1 January 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TRANSFER NEWS: Rooney Returns From Barnsley Loan |url=https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2026/01/transfer-news-rooney-returns-from-barnsley-loan |date=2026-01-01 |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=www.dcfc.co.uk}}</ref>
On 30 January 2026, Rooney joined National League club Boston United on loan for the remainder of the season.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.bostonunited.co.uk/news/united-capture-rooney-signature-2962225.html|title=United capture Rooney signature|website=www.bostonunited.co.uk|date=30 January 2026|accessdate=30 January 2026}}</ref> A day later, Rooney made his Boston United debut in a 2–1 win at Boreham Wood.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cn42p977n8gt|title=Boreham Wood 1–2 Boston United|website=www.bbc.co.uk/sport|date=31 January 2026|accessdate=8 February 2026}}</ref> On 14 February 2026, Rooney scored his first goals for Boston United and in senior football when he netted twice in a 6–3 win at Scunthorpe United.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c36310592ngt|title=Scunthorpe United 3–6 Boston United|website=www.bbc.co.uk/sport|date=14 February 2026|accessdate=15 February 2026}}</ref> Rooney played 16 times for Boston United during his loan spell, scoring three goals.
On 15 May 2026, it was announced that Rooney would leave Derby County upon the expiry of his contract in June 2026, he played 23 times for the club during a four-year spell.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-retained-list-202526-10967233|title=Derby County retained list revealed as four leave with defender in contract talks |publisher=Derby Telegraph|date=15 May 2026|access-date=15 May 2026}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 25 April 2026}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=5|Derby County |2022–23<ref name=22-23>{{Soccerbase season|165859|2022|access-date=4 August 2023}}</ref> |League One |9||0||4||0||3||0||2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}||0||18||0 |- |2023–24<ref name=23-24>{{Soccerbase season|165859|2023|access-date=4 August 2023}}</ref> |League One |3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0 |- |2024–25<ref name=24-25>{{Soccerbase season|165859|2024|access-date=25 July 2024}}</ref> |Championship |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |2025–26<ref name="25-26">{{Soccerbase season|165859|2025|access-date=1 December 2025}}</ref> |Championship |0||0||0||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !12!!0!!4!!0!!5!!0!!2!!0!!23!!0 |- |Barnsley (loan) |2025–26<ref name=25-26/> |League One |1||0||2||0||1||0||3{{efn|name=EFLT}}||0||7||0 |- |Boston United (loan) |2025–26<ref name=25-26/> |National League |16||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||16||3 |- !colspan=3|Career total !29!!3!!6!!0!!6!!0!!5!!0!!46!!3 |}
{{Notelist}}
==Honours== '''Derby County''' *EFL League One second-place promotion: 2023–24<ref name=2324promotion/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Derby County F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rooney, Jake}} Category:2003 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Liverpool Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Tranmere Rovers F.C. players Category:Burnley F.C. players Category:Derby County F.C. players Category:Barnsley F.C. players Category:Boston United F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Jake Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:English people of Irish descent