BOURNEMOUTH -- Eden Hazard can regain his PFA Player of the Year crown if he stays fit next season, according to Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink.
Riyad Mahrez collected the 2016 award at Grosvenor House on Sunday after inspiring Leicester City to the brink of an astonishing Premier League title win, registering 17 goals and 11 assists in 34 appearances this season.
Hazard, meanwhile, has looked a shadow of the player described by Jose Mourinho as "the best young player in the world" last term, and scored his first Premier League goals in 356 days in Chelsea's convincing 4-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
Hiddink believes that Hazard's struggles are due to a combination of confidence and injuries, and insists that the Belgian is more than capable of re-discovering his best form under new first team head coach Antonio Conte next season.
"Normally when you have won this prize, having a bad season hurts you as a player," Hiddink said of Hazard. "He has the capacity to gain it back.
"He's had a very bad season, and that's very difficult for a talented, high quality player like him. He's had a difficult season, falling into injuries, coming back, playing half a game and then falling back into injuries.
"It's frustrating, so we said let's treat him well, train well and give him a little more time to be back well. He showed that [against Bournemouth]. When he's there, fully fit physically and mentally, then he is one of the best."
Asked if he expected Hazard to still be a Chelsea player next season, Hiddink replied: "He has years more to go. He's very happy with everyone around Chelsea and if he's fit, he will be very important next season."