Paul Merson says Mesut Ozil has made Arsenal look "absolutely stupid" over their treatment of club mascot Gunnersaurus.
It recently emerged that the services of Jerry Quy, who has dressed up as the Gunners' much-loved dinosaur mascot since 1993, had been dispensed with as part of cost-cutting measures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Although Arsenal have insisted that it is only a temporary measure and that Gunnersaurus will return when fans are allowed back into stadiums, the news still prompted quite a reaction.
Gunners star Ozil offered to pay the full salary of Gunnersaurus, so that Quy could continue in the role.
"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," Ozil tweeted.
"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."
Now Merson has taken aim at his former club, in his latest Daily Star column.
"Mesut Ozil has made Arsenal look absolutely stupid by offering to pay for Gunnersaurus to keep his job," he said.
"But binning their mascot just shows how selfish and out of touch the people who run the club are these days.
"You cannot believe how angry I am about this. It is unbelievably shocking at the highest level.
"Arsenal used to ooze class. I don’t think the owners even know what that word means any more.
"Whoever made the decision to get rid of the mascot needs to take a long hard look at themselves.
"It absolutely does my head in that they’ve got rid of him just to save money. How many other clubs, ones in the lower leagues who are really struggling, have done that?
"Even if they bring him back when fans are allowed back in the stadium, it’s a disgrace."
Merson added: "The people in charge don’t care about the fans. If they did, the first thing they would have said is: “We keep Jerry Quy.”
"They’ve just signed Thomas Partey for £45m. If he’s on £150,000-a-week, are you telling me they couldn’t have offered £149,000 and given the rest to the dinosaur?
"The club are putting money above the fans, above the things that are important. I can’t catch my breath if I’m being honest.
"I don’t think the people who run the club understand the club really.
"I like where Arsenal are going on the pitch. Mikel Arteta is doing really well. And Partey is an unbelievable signing.
"But off the pitch, I don’t like what is happening at Arsenal at all sometimes. It’s not the club I remember."
