Mesut Ozil has expressed joy that Arsenal’s long term serving mascot Gunnersaurus has returned to the Emirates Stadium.
The role of the mascot, who has been played by Jerry Quy for the past 27 years, shared a post on twitter on Tuesday from the sidelines of the Premier League club’s stadium with the caption: “Back at Emirates Stadium today.”
Gunnersaurus initially became redundant last month as part of Arsenal’s job-cutting scheme to help with the financial impact of Covid-19.
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Despite being sidelined from the Gunners squad, Ozil was unhappy at Quy’s dismissal and offered to pay the mascot’s salary for the entire time he was an Arsenal player.
While it’s unclear who is portraying Gunnersaurus and paying his wages, Ozil showed his delight with the mascot’s return on Twitter: “Happy to see you back where you belong #YaGunnersYa.”
Happy to see you back where you belong 👍🏼#YaGunnersYa https://t.co/6vffAervHI
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) November 10, 2020
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta left Mesut Ozil out from their Premier League and Europa League squads with the Spanish coach insisting he ‘tried his best’ to squeeze the German international into the lists.
“What I can tell you that I tried my best, I tried to give him as many opportunities as I could,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
“And that from my own side, I’ve been patient, given him opportunities and been fair.
“He’s a player that belongs to a football club, he’s been a really important player in the last few seasons. I have to respect that, I’m here to make decisions, the best decisions for the team and for the club.
“This is what I try to do and then I have to explain them because people need the reasons and the right answers. I just give mine, whether they believe me or agree with me or not, there’s nothing I can do.
“But I have to put my decisions, with my heart and with my brain to make the right decisions that I believe are good.”
Ozil’s contract at Arsenal expires at the end of the season, with the playmaker believed to want to continue his career at another club in London.
The German signed for the Gunners from Real Madrid in 2013 and has made 254 appearances for the club, scoring 44 goals and creating 77 assists, while also helping the team add three FA Cups to their trophy cabinet.
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