The Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kanté has been voted the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year for the 2016-17 season. The Frenchman 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.

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

Kanté was presented with the award at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on Sunday evening. The Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli won the young player prize for the second successive season, Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze won the women’s player of the year award for the second time having also won it in 2014, and Birmingham’s Jess Carter topped the voting in the women’s young player category.

David Beckham received the PFA’s merit award for his contribution to the game.

Kanté has played a key role in Chelsea’s surge to the top of the league 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 will become the first player to achieve the distinction of winning successive Premier League titles with two different clubs if Chelsea can hold off Tottenham in this season’s championship race.

Antonio Conte joked after another commanding display by Kanté in a win over West Ham last month that he is struggling to find a fault in his game. The Chelsea manager 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 performances and goals of the England midfielder, 21, have again been critical to Spurs’ title push, and heading into the weekend he was the highest-scoring player in the league not recognised as a forward, with 16 goals.

Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze with her award. Photograph: Barry Coombs/PA

England full-back Bronze won the women’s player of the year award for the second time, after being part of the Manchester City squad which won the Women’s Super League without losing a game in 2016.

Birmingham midfielder Carter saw off competition from three Manchester City players to win the women’s young player.

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