As expected, Chelsea duo N’Golo Kante and Eden Hazard lead the nominees for Player of the Year.
The six-man shortlist was announced on Thursday morning on the PFA’s official website.
Riyad Mahrez won the accolade last year after steering Leicester to the title, so it looks likely that another Premier League winner will replace him this time around.
Hazard will be hoping to pick up the award for the second time in three years. It would put the icing on the cake in terms of his turnaround, though Kante has arguably been even more instrumental in the Blues’ success.
Harry Kane represents nearest title rivals’ Tottenham in the nominees. The 23-year-old has scored 19 goals despite two significant spells on the sidelines, one of which he is only just coming back from.
The England international has had yet another brilliant season, but he looks set to be beaten to the Golden Boot by Romelu Lukaku, Everton’s sole representative on the list.
Surely nothing can put the Belgian’s value up any higher, but winning Player of the Year could prove another selling point.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez are the final two players in contention. Both have shone in underperforming teams this term, Zlatan enjoying an unbelievable debut season in the Premier League at 35 years of age.
And Sanchez – well, he could just do with cheering up a bit. The Chilean has saved Arsenal time and again, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be enough to land them a Champions League spot at this rate.
Lukaku and Kane also feature on the shortlist for Young Player of the Year, where they are joined by Dele Alli, Jordan Pickford, Leroy Sane, and Michael Keane.
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