Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not underrated, says Ian Wright, with the Arsenal legend of the opinion that a Gabonese striker would be challenging goal records in England had he arrived sooner.
Speculation had linked the proven frontman with a switch to the Premier League several windows before he finally completed a switch in January 2018.
Arsene Wenger snapped Aubameyang up from Borussia Dortmund and thrust him straight into a role as the leading man in Arsenal’s attack.
Such faith, along with that of current boss Unai Emery, has delivered 42 goals in just 66 appearances.
With that return in mind, Wright believes it is wrong to suggest that the 30-year-old is in any way short of the credit he deserves.
The former Gunners forward has pointed to Aubameyang’s impressive CV as evidence of what is capable of, while claiming that Thierry Henry’s all-time records in north London could have come under threat had Arsenal moved quicker to land a prolific presence.
Wright told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I don't think [he’s under-rated].
“We’ve all known that Aubameyang has been a top goalscorer - everywhere he’s been he has scored goals.
“At Saint-Etienne, 41 in 97, at Borussia Dortmund, 213 games, 141 goals. For Gabon, he’s got 59 caps, 24 goals, so I don’t think he’s underrated, African Player of the Year.
“I think he gets the way he plays, he’s on the edge of things, on the periphery of things so you don’t see him doing anything else other than the most important thing in the game, scoring goals and he does it so prolifically.
“He’s someone that I believe if he was at Arsenal a few years ago, then the records would have been in danger because of the rate he scores.
“I don’t think he’s underrated at all. People didn’t want to take a chance on him, for whatever reason. He’s come to the Premier League and he’s more than capable.”
Aubameyang is already up and running for 2019-20, with a match-winning effort recorded in a narrow 1-0 victory away at Newcastle on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.