Chelsea's N'Golo Kante named FWA Footballer of the Year

The Chelsea midfielder topped the poll of the 340 members with teammate Eden Hazard second and Tottenham's Dele Alli third

N'Golo Kante has endured a fine season and looks set to win the Premier League title in back-to-back years

N'Golo Kante has been recognised once again adding the FWA Football of the Year award to his PFA Player of the Year gong.

The Chelsea midfielder, instrumental in Antonio Conte's men's march to the verge of the Premier League title, topped the poll of the 340 members with teammate Eden Hazard second and Tottenham's Dele Alli third.

The Blues pair polled over 65 per cent of the journalists' votes which were spread over a record number of 17 different players.

Kante was key to Leicester's shock triumph last season and following his £32million summer switch to west London, the midfielder looks set to collect a second successive championship medal with Chelsea now just two more victories from winning the league.

The 26-year-old will receive the prestigious FWA accolade, which has been awarded since 1948, at a gala dinner in London on May 18 when the association marks its 70th anniversary.

"It is a fantastic honour to win this award. With so many great players in this Chelsea squad and in the Premier League, for the Football Writers' Association of this country to name me as their Footballer of the Year is a very proud moment in my career," said Kante, who last month collected the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year trophy.

Five Chelsea players were nominated by FWA members, with David Luiz, Diego Costa and Cesar Azpilicueta also receiving votes.

FWA Footballer of the Year 2017 - Player votes (in alphabetical order)

Sergio Aguero (Man City), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Dele Alli (Tottenham), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Diego Costa (Chelsea), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Sunderland), Ben Foster (West Brom), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Anthony Knockaert (Brighton), David Luiz (Chelsea), Romelu Lukaku (Everton), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea)

More information and a list of past FWA Footballer of the Year winners can be found at http://www.footballwriters.co.uk