CHELSEA midfielder N'Golo Kante has been voted the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year for the 2016-17 season.

The Frenchman, who is on course to win a second successive Premier League title after also being part of the Leicester side which upset the odds last season, secured the most votes from his fellow players.

He saw off competition from Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard – who won the award in 2015 – plus Harry Kane of Tottenham, Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United and Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez.

Kante was presented with the award at the Grosvenor Hotel in London last night, while Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli took the young player prize for the second successive season.

Lucy Bronze of Manchester City won the women's player of the year award for the second time, having also won it in 2014, while Birmingham player Jess Carter topped the voting in the women's young player category.

Former England captain David Beckham received the PFA's merit award for his contribution to the game.

Beckham, who won 115 England caps and starred at club level for Manchester United, followed ex-Red Devils team-mate Ryan Giggs in winning the Merit prize. He also received the prize alongside his 'Class of 92' United team-mates in 2013.

Kante has played a key role in Chelsea's surge to the top of the table this season and is renowned as a tireless box-to-box competitor who helps break up opposition attacks and initiate them for his own side.

He is set to become the first player to achieve the distinction of winning successive Premier League titles with different clubs if Chelsea can hold off Tottenham in this season's championship race.

Blues manager Antonio Conte joked after another commanding display by Kante in a win over West Ham last month that he is struggling to find a fault in his game.

Conte said: "He made five mistakes. He has to improve in this. He has to improve. I am joking but I have to find one situation to tell him to improve. He's playing really well.

"He has great stamina, great quality and we are working to improve that quality. I'm pleased for him."

Alli's young player prize is some consolation for his controversial omission from the six-man shortlist for the senior award.

The 21-year-old England midfielder has again been critical to Spurs' title push and heading into the weekend was the highest-scoring player in the league not recognised as a forward with 16 goals.

Alli won the vote of his peers ahead of Spurs team-mate Kane, Lukaku, Burnley defender Michael Keane, Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Manchester City winger Leroy Sane.