Steven and Ryan Sessegnon emerged together at Craven Cottage last month, each cradling their daughters in their arms. The pair had progressed through Fulham's youth ranks side by side and featured in the senior team on several occasions in tandem—yet that evening marked the first time they faced each other on opposing sides.
It represented something profound: a moment of completion, a return to where their journeys began.
For the three years prior, such a fixture would have been an ideal occasion for a family gathering, given that Steven had been based in Manchester as a Wigan player. Now, however, he has come back. Not merely back to south-west London, but genuinely back home.
Standing on a terrace at the Dons' training facility in New Malden, he gestures across the landscape while speaking to Sky Sports.
We used to play academy games literally across this grass.He points leftward.
I spent time at Coombe Boys School, which is five minutes up the road.
Fulham's Motspur Park base sits just six minutes' drive away—the place where his nephew Kayden currently trains with the U18 group.
It's really wholesome to be back,Sessegnon reflects.
It helps massively being around family. I get to see my older brothers, my nieces, my nephews and I see my brother [Ryan] a few times a week.
We play at two different levels, so there isn't too much to speak about as if we were in the same league, but we catch up on life, being dads, being providers, being men in our families and what the future looks like.
A career at a crossroads
Sessegnon's homecoming arrives at a pivotal juncture in his playing career. During his opening campaign at Wigan in 2023/24, he appeared in 29 matches across all formats. His second season proved troublesome, hampered by calf and knee problems, and he did not feature competitively from 4 January 2025 onwards.
When Gary Caldwell took charge in February 2025, replacing Ryan Lowe, the new manager promptly placed Sessegnon on the transfer list at the start of his third season.
Things happen fast in football,Sessegnon explains.
When I was put on the transfer list, I was told I wasn't going to play and I didn't go on the pre-season trip—but I ended up starting the first game of the season through injuries or lack of availability, and I thought I did well.
It's fair game, it's part of it. The manager came in, the club wanted to go in a different direction. As long as everyone can come out of it happy and people can move onto clubs they know they can do well at, there's no problem with it.
A transfer never materialised. On the rare occasions Caldwell selected him, Sessegnon found himself deployed at centre-back—a position entirely foreign to him.
It was tough. Very, very tough. I felt like I could contribute to a team, but didn't really have the trust or belief behind me to do it.
But as much as I could say I didn't have the proper backing to be in my own position, I was still given a chance to play football. It was down to me and it just never happened.
There was no issue with anyone else apart from myself. I learned a lot there, a lot I can take with me for the rest of my career. It was a learning curve.
The biggest thing was professionalism. Even in the worst stages of when I wasn't playing and I was told I wasn't going to be a part of it, I could still carry myself and be the best possible person.
I felt I owed it to myself to show people I was still a very good trainer, a very good player and I think that helped me stick around longer than they probably wanted me to.
The move south
Wigan released Sessegnon during the summer, and he joined AFC Wimbledon on 25 June 2026 on a two-year contract with an optional additional 12 months, according to BBC Sport. His contract with the Dons runs until 30 June 2028, as Transfermarkt confirms.
I was preparing to go on holiday with my family and I got a call. As soon as they said Wimbledon, local, I said 'let's get it sorted',he recalls.
But it was also about the position I would play, how the gaffer [Johnnie Jackson] set it out. It wasn't complicated. I knew I could come in and, if I could get minutes, I would show my ability.
Sessegnon made his Wimbledon debut on 8 August in the Carabao Cup against Newport—nearly half a year since his final competitive appearance for the Latics. He expresses genuine astonishment when reminded of that gap.
His full league debut arrived on 7 September in a 2-0 Sky Bet League One victory over Bromley. He has required patience to establish himself, though he grasps the reasoning behind his gradual integration.
It's like injuries, you have a bit of anxiousness about getting going again, but I had the pre-season and here at Wimbledon, they looked after me very well. The gaffer has looked after me very well and communicated very well with me.
In my head I wanted to start and play as many games as I could, but coming off the bench a few times has probably benefitted me to get to grips with football again.
According to ESPN, Sessegnon had accumulated 2 starts and 4 substitute appearances by 22 September 2026, totalling 227 minutes across all competitions with no goals or assists. His involvement in Wimbledon's 17 September clash against MK Dons, where Sky Sports' live commentary recorded his shot being saved and his involvement in a recorded foul, demonstrates his growing role in the team's setup.
It's probably the simplest football I've played in my career, but the most effective. We're able to create chances, I'm able to get the ball high up the pitch.
It's not overthought, and I think it brings the best out of the whole squad and definitely myself. I've enjoyed it so far and it takes the pressure off the whole squad; we know we can create chances, we just have to be solid.
Wimbledon's defensive foundation
The Dons have indeed been solid defensively, recording five clean sheets from their opening seven matches—a joint-league high in the Sky Bet EFL. They trail Bradford by four points heading into their fixture against Cambridge, despite having managed only five goals across that span.
Bookmakers still regard them as relegation candidates for the season, yet they remain well-positioned to challenge expectations.
What comes next
Sessegnon now possesses the opportunity to help AFC Wimbledon defy the odds once more, operating just minutes from where his football story began. Wimbledon's next League One assignment brings them to Cambridge on 26 September, with the match broadcast live on Sky Sports+. Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm.
