Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has been voted as the 13th best player of 2016 by chief editors and correspondents of Goal.
The Frenchman played a pivotal role in Leicester’s against-the-odds Premier League triumph and has started life at Chelsea with similar exemplary performances.
The only midfielder ranked higher by Goal is former team-mate and PFA Player of the year Riyad Mahrez. Kante’s rank is testament to just how good he has been this calendar year.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are no other Chelsea representatives in the top fifty. The shortfalls of last campaign’s tenth place finish are still very much fresh in the memory. The only argument that could perhaps be made is for Eden Hazard, who has been exemplary since April for Chelsea and also did well for Belgium in the European Championships in the summer. Hazard has scored 14 goals in his last 27 games for club and country.
Kante’s inclusion is well worth celebrating, though, we hope that he continues to play as he has done throughout 2016.
