The Chelsea midfielder, 26, beat Eden Hazard, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez in the vote by his fellow players. Tottenham’s Dele Alli won the young player prize for the second successive year. Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze won the Women’s Player of the Year award.

Birmingham’s Jess Carter was named Women’s Young Player of the Year.

N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea from last season’s Premier League champions Leicester last July

Kante said: “It’s a huge honour to be chosen by the other players. It’s the biggest honour to get this award.”

The midfielder is on course to win the Premier League with Chelsea, having done so last season at Leicester, and added: “My first two seasons were very beautiful. Last season was very beautiful. This season so far, we have had a good season but we have to finish well.”

Former England captain David Beckham received the PFA’s Merit award for his contribution to the game during the ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on Sunday.

Former England women’s captain Kelly Smith – who became England’s first female professional footballer when she joined American side New Jersey in 1999 – landed the PFA Special Achievement award.

BBC

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