Hazard: I'd give Player of the Year to Chelsea team-mate Kante

Eden Hazard says he would like to see Chelsea team-mate N'Golo Kante crowned PFA Player of the Year ahead of himself.

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The Stamford Bridge duo are seen as the two frontrunners for the individual award after playing major roles in helping their side to the brink of the Premier League title in Antonio Conte's debut season.

Hazard, 26, has recaptured the kind of form which saw him win the same award in Chelsea's title-winning 2014-15 season, scoring 14 times in the top flight so far.

Kante, on the other hand, has injected the same dominant midfield displays which helped Leicester City win the league last season into Chelsea's side after joining them last summer.

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And although Hazard says he would like to win the award once more, he has revealed he would “choose” Kante to claim the gong as it would buck the recent trend of goalscorers scooping the honour.

In an interview with Telefoot , he said: "I hope it will be him, it would change a bit of the guy who always scores, which is always decisive.

“He is less decisive on the field than a forward. But it would reward the two good seasons he made. Of course, I would like to have this title of best player too, but if I have to choose I would give it to him.”

Riyad Mahrez, Hazard, Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale and Robin van Persie are the five most recent winners of the award.

Hazard and Kante are up for the prize alongside Manchester United talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, Tottenham's Harry Kane and Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez.