'I want to show the world': Determined Christian Saydee eager to make a statement after Portsmouth exit for Wigan

Christian Saydee is relishing the opportunity to ‘show the world’ that he’s actually a centre-forward.

The powerful attacker last week joined Wigan for an undisclosed fee, with boss Ryan Lowe handing him the number nine shirt as proof of where they intend to utilise him.

Although recruited by John Mousinho from Bournemouth as a striker in June 2023, he primarily operated as a number 10 during his 73 appearances for the Blues.

It’s a positional change rendered necessary due to the impressive goal-scoring form of Colby Bishop and Kusini Yengi ahead of Saydee in the pecking order, with the 23-year-old certainly having no complaints.

But now he can’t wait to return to the job he knows best - as a centre-forward.

Saydee: I still think I’m a centre-forward

Saydee told The News: ‘Hopefully I can show the world I can score goals and I’m not just a passionate number 10 who wants to cause the opposition trouble.

‘I’m going to Wigan as a striker, to play as a nine - and I have the number nine shirt as well. There are times I played as a 10 at Pompey, but I still think I’m a centre-forward.

‘Obviously I may not have shown that over the last two years at Fratton Park, but I feel that, if I am given the chance to play as a nine, I can show everyone what I can do. I back myself to succeed.

‘The gaffer at Wigan (Ryan Lowe) was a striker as well and I’m sure he can teach me a few of his tricks so I can rack up some goals.

‘I actually came to Pompey as a nine, then we played Crawley in my first pre-season here and I was moved to the 10 because Kas (Yengi) was playing as well. I did well there and stayed around the position ever since.

‘Kas scored a hat-trick that game, so you can understand it! It’s always difficult when you've got players like Colby and Kas around, they put crazy numbers in front of you and are such good players, so I was fine with it.

‘But I played as a nine when I was young, it’s a position I’ve always enjoyed, and, while it’s always good to play in two positions, growing up all I’ve ever wanted to do is score goals. As a 10 you drop a bit more - but I want to be the person scoring.

‘That Middlesbrough game (August 2024) is one of the reasons why I want to play as a nine. The feeling of scoring, especially twice, the feeling of being able to bully centre-backs on the back line.’

Saydee: Why Oxford United was my favourite Portsmouth goal

Of his seven goals in a Pompey shirt, the winner in a 2-1 triumph against Oxford United in March 2024 was understandably his favourite, particularly considering its importance in the League One promotion battle.

Saydee also played a key role in the iconic victory over Barnsley a month later, when Mousinho’s men fought from behind to claim a 3-2 success to win promotion and the title in the same game.

For it was the attacker who won the penalty converted by Colby Bishop when they trailed 2-1 with eight minutes remaining.

‘Then big Shocks turned up!’

He added: ‘John McAtee was giving me a bit beforehand. We’d had a tackle and it was going a bit back and forth.

‘In training, one of my strengths is receiving the ball on the edge of the box and Skip (Pack) is always telling me that, if you are one-v-one with someone in the box, try to roll them every time as he’d be looking for me.

‘So it was kind of made for me. He played it into me and although some say it was a drive, if you watch closely McAtee definitely got me and it was a penalty. Which Colby scored. Then big Shocks turned up!

‘Oxford at home was definitely my favourite goal, though. It felt like a massive moment for me. I had been out of the squad for a couple of games after my cousin had passed a few weeks earlier - then I came back in.

‘Me scoring that goal made everything feel a little better.’

Your Next Pompey Read: Ex-Pompey triallist flourishing with new Sheffield United contract after first-team breakthrough