Ozil offers to pay wages of out-of-favour bench buddy Gunnersaurus

October 7 – Arsenal’s out-of-favour German international playmaker Mesut Ozil has offered to pay the salary of Jerry Quy, who has been playing the role of club mascot Gunnersaurus.

The mascot has become the latest victim of the club’s cost-cutting exercise amid the coronavirus pandemic and has been controversially released after serving the club for 27 years.

A fundraising page has been set up for Quy, who donned a dinosaur suit as Arsenal’s mascot at home matches since 1993.

Ozil, who is yet to play this season and has been frozen out by manager Mikel Arteta, has tweeted that he will pay the mascot’s salary for as long as he is an Arsenal player.

“I was so sad that Jerry Quy aka our famous & loyal mascot Gunnersaurus and integral part of our club was being made redundant after 27 years,” said Ozil, reputed to be the club’s highest-paid player.

“As such, I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player, so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much.”

The plight of Gunnersaurus has attracted interest throughout the world with Spanish club Sevilla even claiming that they had signed the mascot!

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