Wednesday 10 May 2017 12:19, UK
Manchester City need a deeper squad if they are to compete on all fronts next season, according to Andy Hinchcliffe.
City are on course to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season but have seen any hopes of a title challenge peter out in the second half of the season.
Pep Guardiola's side have been boosted by the return of skipper Vincent Kompany, who has started City's last five games and was on the scoresheet in Sunday's 5-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Hinchliffe, who began his career at City, believes Guardiola must build his side around Kompany and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan but warned of other areas of the pitch that need strengthening over the summer.
"They need Kompany fit and playing regularly and they need Gundogan back," Hinchcliffe told Premier League Daily on Sky Sports News HQ.
"They probably need to sign at least four players in the summer.
"A goalkeeper has to be a priority as Joe Hart is probably unlikely to come back to the club. They probably need another ball-playing centre-half and they need another top striker as well.
"[Gabriel] Jesus has been fantastic since he joined but he's only 20. We presume [Sergio] Aguero will stay but if you are going to challenge for the title and the Champions League, and be serious about winning the domestic cups as well, you're going to need a quality squad, a deeper squad in terms of experience."
City host Leicester, live on Sky Sports 1, on Saturday lunchtime knowing a victory will go a long way to ensuring the club are involved in next season's Champions League.
Hinchcliffe says it is imperative the club finishes in the top four to avoid what could only be considered as a disastrous season.
"Top four would have been considered as absolutely the least that City fans, players and owners would have expected from Guardiola coming in," he said.
"Things haven't gone so well in terms of the title, and the Champions League with the way they went out against Monaco. The domestic cups haven't worked out either so the top four would have just been taken for granted. It's not a success clearly. If they don't make top four it's pretty disastrous.
"But if they play anything like the way they did against Palace in their last three games then they will pick up nine points comfortably."
