Mikel Arteta hails the heading ability of 26-year-old Chelsea reportedly want to sign

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to Ivan Toney after his performance up against William Saliba on Saturday.

Brentford got a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, with Toney netting the equaliser and giving the French international a torrid afternoon.

As per the Times, Toney won seven of their eight direct aerial duels and 12 of the 14 he had in the game overall, while Saliba won just one out of his 11 aerial duels across the match.

In the last three and a half Premier League seasons, only once has a centre back recorded a worse “balance” of aerial duels in a game than Saliba’s -9 and only three times have strikers have bettered Toney’s balance of +10.

Arteta hails Toney

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight’s huge title clash against Manchester City, Arteta praised Toney and suggested any defender would have found it hard.

He said: He has the physical capacity to handle that. He needs the timing, he need exposure and he needs experiences like he had with Toney to realise how difficult it is.

“But you put Ivan Toney against any defender in the league and you put 10 balls that are coming down with snow, he is probably going to beat them. It’s not about that ball, it’s about what happens after it as well.”

Journalist Pete O’Rourke told GiveMeSport in November that Chelsea would consider a move to sign Brentford striker Toney.

“I think Chelsea long-term will be looking to bring in a number nine, probably this summer. I don’t think Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is the long-term answer due to his form and his age probably,” O’Rourke said.

“So, I think Chelsea will be looking at him [Toney]. If you’re looking at Premier League strikers and ones that are probably more gettable than others, Ivan Toney definitely comes into the reckoning.”

Chelsea have spent huge money in the last two transfer windows, but still do not have a proper number nine capable of banging in the goals.

Toney could be that man, but he would likely be expensive and has an FA betting charge hanging over him which may put any potential suitors on alert.