Hazard named PFA player

Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard has been named the PFA Player of the Year.

Hazard, 24 and last season’s Young Player of the Year, has scored 18 goals in 47 games for the Blues this season.

Having impressed at the World Cup with Belgium, Hazard started the season strongly. More recently he has scored five goals in eight games, including the winner in a thrilling 1-0 victory over Manchester United on April 18.

Hazard was rewarded for his sterling performances with the top individual award of the night at the PFA’s awards ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London.

He finished ahead of Tottenham striker Harry Kane – the Young Player of the Year – and Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea in the vote by his fellow professionals.

Hazard said, “I’m very happy. One day I want to be the best and what I did this season is play very well, Chelsea played very well.

“I don’t know if I deserve to win but it is good for me. It is good, it is better to be voted by the players – they know everything about football. This is good. I’m very happy.

“I started the season not to be the PFA Player of the Year but it was in my head – I want to be the best and I hope one day I can win a lot of trophies.

“I hope I can win a lot of trophies again – the most important is to win the league, without my team-mates I would not be here.

“Jose (Mourinho) lets me play, we talk sometimes together and when I’m on the pitch I know what I have to do, this is most important.”