Who are the three leading contenders for Chelsea’s player of the year award?

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Chelsea are enjoying a brilliant season under Antonio Conte as they make up for lost time following the disastrous season that they endured under Jose Mourinho and then Guus Hiddink last season.

Still on track for a potential double, the Blues have been resurgent in a new look 3-4-3 formation with the starting eleven barely having changed since October, but for rotations allowing the likes of Willian and Cesc Fabregas a look in, so the pool of selection for player of the year is more narrow than ever.

That said, it would be hard to criticise any of the Chelsea squad this season and almost all will be in contention for the award come May.

Have your say by voting in our poll after we highlight three players who we believe to be the top candidates over the following pages…

N’Golo Kante

Undoubtedly the signing of the season, for just £30 million the Frenchman has at times seemed a bargain, particularly in comparison to the £89 million that Manchester United paid for Paul Pogba, a player he kept in his pocket in the recent clash between the two.

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With an average of 3.7 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game this season, the midfielder hasn’t stopped and his boundless energy has been vital in the Blues’ surge up the Premier League table. His battling displays in the heart of midfield have provided the balance required to make Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 a massive success.

The former Leicester midfielder could become the first player to win back to back Premier League titles with different sides and his performances have shown that such an accolade would be well deserved.

Eden Hazard

Last season, the Belgian was a mere shadow of his former self. The goals dried up, the assists disappeared, and Hazard’s place in the Chelsea starting line-up was even under threat.

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This campaign, he has completely turned his form around, with 11 goals and five assists to his name already. The winger has become a key part of the Chelsea attack once again, working magnificently with the likes of Pedro, Diego Costa and Willian to constantly create and exploit space.

He has returned to be the kind of player who strikes fear into the heart of defences, as he showed with his superb solo goal against Arsenal, and sides have struggled to stop him, with Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United resorting to hacking him down.

David Luiz

Seen as a bit of a panic buy when he re-joined the club late in the summer transfer window, his first few weeks back in a Chelsea shirt did little to majorly persuade pundits and fans that he was a different player.

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Now though, the Brazilian is seen as the rock at the heart of the Blues’ defence. Luiz is no longer the liability that he once was. A much more disciplined defender too, with just five yellow cards to his name, he has shown that he can be cool, calm and composed both on the ball and off it.

With an important goal at Anfield to earn a valuable point with a smart free-kick, Luiz has been a valuable asset and one of the most unexpected top performers of the campaign.

Have your say

Vote in our poll below to say who you think is Chelsea’s player of the year…