Heskey was signed by Premier League club Wigan Athletic on 7 July 2006 for a £5.5 million fee. He made his debut against Newcastle United on 19 August 2006, which his new team lost 2–1. On his 500th league appearance, Heskey scored his first goal for Wigan in a 1–0 Premier League victory over Reading on 26 August. He scored 8 goals in 36 appearances in 2006–07, as Wigan avoided relegation on goal difference over Sheffield United, against whom Heskey played well on 13 May 2007, in a match he nearly scored a bicycle kick.