CHELSEA’S KANTE NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LONDON: N’Golo Kante’s dynamic performances for double chasing Chelsea received the ultimate accolade from his peers, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year award.

The 26- year- old French midfielder saw off the likes of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane and Everton’s marksman Romelu Lukaku for the prestigious award.

It may well not be the last piece of silverware he lifts this season as unlike his former team-mates at Leicester – for whom he was the driving force of a stunning title success last year – he stands on the brink of becoming the first player to win successive league titles with different clubs.

“To be chosen by the players to be Player of the Year means a lot to me,” said Kante.

“It means the world to be chosen and it’s been two beautiful seasons, one with Leicester and we are in good form with Chelsea. To be player of the year, it’s a great honour.”

Kante, who also faces an English FA Cup final date against Arsenal, said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, like Leicester’s title winning manager Claudio Ranieri an Italian, had instilled a winning mentality into the players.

“He knows what he wants from the players,” said Kante.

“He wants to win, and we work very, very, very hard in training for him. He put a winning mentality into the squad and everyone wants to give their best for the team and to make Chelsea win titles.”

Kante, who had a modest playing career in France with Boulogne and then Caen, said the award will not go to his head as he acknowledges they face a tough battle to win either the league or the Cup – Spurs are just four points behind them in the title race and Arsenal will be desperate to rescue a poor season with a trophy.

“We’re going to fight for both competitions,” said Kante.

“The Cup is just one game and the league six games and we’re going to give our best to win these two competitions.”

Tottenham – who would relish the title even more after being beaten 4-2 by Chelsea in their FA Cup semi- final on Saturday – didn’t go away empty-handed.

Their goalscoring midfielder English international Dele Alli, whom many thought should have been a contender for the senior award, won the Young Player of the Year award for the second successive year.

Other winners included Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze who was the Women’s Player of the Year for a second occasion having won it in 2014.

Birmingham’s Jess Carter won the Young Player of the Year award.

English football icon Davd Beckham followed among another former Manchester United teammate Ryan Giggs in receiving the PFA’s Merit award for his contribution to the game. — AFP