Gary Cahill tips N’Golo Kanté for Premier League Player of the Year award

While there’s always an element of scripted banality to such things — when some journalist or, in this case, radio guy asks you whether your teammate would deserve the Player of the Year award, surely you’re not going to reply with “well, actually, you see, it’s this other teammate of mine who really deserves it instead” — it’s still nice to hear Chelsea acting captain Gary Cahill sing N’Golo Kanté’s praises, echoing many of our own thoughts when it comes to who would deserve the Premier League’s ultimate individual accolade at the end of the season. Especially if Chelsea do go on to win the title, as we look favored to do.

“He has to be in consideration for it [the Player of the Year award], for sure.”

“Everyone has seen his qualities and what he brought to Leicester last season, with the story behind them winning the title. To come to a new club he has stepped up again and been tremendous this season. He works hard and is a humble guy off the pitch and on it he is phenomenal.”

“I notice a lot obviously because he is just in front of me, he is winning balls he has no right to win and is also quality going forward – he breaks up play and bursts forward with the ball which eases the pressure on the back four and the team.”

-Gary Cahill; source: talkSport via Goal

Cahill’s hardly the only one impressed. Here’s Chelsea TV and Tommy Langley (and Pat Nevin and Jason Cundy and Eden Hazard) paying tribute to Kanté’s latest masterpiece, against West Ham United last Monday.

Kanté has yet to start in this season’s FA Cup campaign for Chelsea. That is likely to change this coming Monday as we host Manchester United. With him in such great form, Chelsea have an excellent chance to beat Mourinho for the second time this season!