Gunnersaurus paid '56% more' than average WSL footballer

 Arsenal mascot Gunnersaurus is reportedly taking home an enviable wage despite having a fairly straightforward role - and a hefty amount more than the average WSL footballer

Arsenal mascot Gunnersaurus is thought to earn a good chunk more than the average Women's Super League Footballer - despite just walking around in a dinosaur costume.

Gunnersaurus, full name Gunnersaurus Rex, has been Arsenal's mascot since way back in 1994 barring a short hiatus after being sacked during Covid.

Despite being among the most famous fan-friendly figures on the planet, you might be surprised to learn of Mr Rex's enviable pay packet.

Basketball Insiders report the man behind the mask takes home a quite astonishing £70,000 per year - double the national average..

Furthermore, the report says that WSL players take home an average amount of £44,000 per year - which is higher than the national average - but 56% lower than Gunnersaurus.

Premier League mascots take come on average £44,000 according to the report, the same as WSL stars, with Chelsea winning four titles in a row and six of the last seven

As it turns out, being a mascot can be a lucrative business, with the top NBA earner coming in the form of Rocky the Mountain Lion of the Denver Nuggets.

Their wage? An eye watering £492,000 per year - although they do have to appear at more than double the fixtures of their football counterparts.

Gunnersaurus was in the headlines back in 2020 after being let go by Arsenal, before Mesut Ozil offered to cover his wages in full.

At the time of the dismissal, Arsenal signed Thomas Partey on an estimated £150-a-week - giving Paul Merson an idea - after joking that the mascot earned £80k-a-week.

He told Daily Star Sport: "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.

"Mesut Ozil has made Arsenal look absolutely stupid by offering to pay for Gunnersaurus to keep his job."