Leif Davis is one of four Englishmen playing at left-back for a Premier League club.
Davis produced 35 assists from left-back as the Blues secured back-to-back promotions and he has already set up one goal in the Premier League (Liam Delap v Fulham).
With Luke Shaw injured, interim Three Lions boss Lee Carsley hasn’t selected a single out-and-out left-back in his squad for this week’s Nations League fixtures in Greece and Finland.
Chelsea centre-back Levi Colwill and Man City midfielder Rico Lewis played that role in the last two fixtures, while Carsley has stated that Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bukayo Saka and even Cole Palmer can also play the position.
Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) and Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) are the three other overlooked Englishmen currently playing regularly at left-back/left wing-back for a Premier League club.
On whether Davis, 24, should have been called up, McKenna said: “That’s for Lee Carsley to judge at the moment. What I can say is that I think Leif is adjusting well to the Premier League.
“When he first arrived with us (in a £1.2m deal from Leeds), he was a highly talented player but had played very few first-team games. He had been on loan at Bournemouth, but had to adjust to playing regularly week in and week out. Last year, he had to adjust to playing in the Championship. He showed his qualities again and had to be very robust and resilient in terms of the minutes he played.
“Now he has taken a very big step up and was certainly very much in at the deep end, facing Mo Salah (Liverpool), Savinho (Manchester City), Adama Traore (Fulham), (Yankuba) Minteh (Brighton), (Tyler) Dibling (Southampton), Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) and Jarrod Bowen (West Ham). Right wing is a position a lot of the Premier League teams are really strong at.
“It’s been a really big challenge for his defensive game, but I think he has risen to that challenge well.
“Like all our players, and all our defenders, there are mistakes and things to learn there, but those things are good feedback. The important thing is that he is showing that he is learning those aspects week-by-week.
“As the team continues to develop and improve and impose themselves in games, I think that will give Leif more chance to show his attributes.
“His strengths are easy to see. He’s got fantastic attributes as an attacking left-back who can cover distances down the line and deliver really good balls to forward players, both to feet and from crosses.
“He’s in a great place in his career. He’s 24, playing his first season in the Premier League and picking up good experience every week.
“I think he is going in a good direction and we are happy with his progress. It’s early steps, but I know he is really determined to have a strong season.”
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