Published: August 18, 2025
WIGAN— Christian Saydee admitted he felt like Premier League great Didier Drogba when he scored his first goal for Wigan Athletic in a 2-0 victory over Peterborough United.
The 23-year-old striker nodded home the opener at the Brick Community Stadium, setting Latics on course for their third win in four matches across all competitions.
“It feels so good to get going, I’m so happy,” Saydee said. “At my last club (Portsmouth), I wasn’t really playing as a ‘9.’ When I was at Shrewsbury (on loan), it probably took me the same amount of time — three or four games — to score my first goal, so I’m happy to be up and running.
“To have it come so early in the game, it was obviously a lot of pressure being taken off my shoulders, so that was really nice.”
Saydee, who joined Wigan from Portsmouth this summer, has quickly become a fan favorite with his high-energy style. His breakthrough goal came from a cross delivered by Fraser Murray, who also assisted captain Jason Kerr’s header for the second.
“Me and Fraser are really close, we’re always talking,” Saydee said. “This time he played the cross over, and I’m happy it came from him. I felt like Drogba in there, so…yeah!”
Saydee, who has also played for Burton Albion, Weymouth and Bournemouth, has scored 15 goals in 141 career appearances. Despite his promising start, he declined to reveal his scoring target for the season.
“I have set myself a target, but I feel like I don’t want to make that public at the moment,” he said. “I’ll tell you when I get there.”
Saydee was born in England to Liberian parents and still eligible to represent the Lone Star at the international level.
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