In an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern, Carlton Palmer has warned that Southampton could be in serious trouble if they cannot replace star striker Danny Ings this summer.

As per The Athletic, Ings is refusing to sign a new contract at St. Mary's, with his current one set to expire next year.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph claims that Ings is Tottenham's primary target as new manager Nuno Espirito Santo looks to deploy a two-man attack at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Speaking recently on talkSPORT, Tony Cascarino suggested that Southampton could find themselves in relegation trouble if Ings ends up getting the move he is clearly seeking, and Palmer shares a very similar view.

"If you're losing 22 goals in the Premier League, you're in serious trouble, you're in serious trouble," the ex-Southampton player said in response to Cascarino's claim. "Don't leave your business to the last minute.

"If you're not going to be able to tie him down to a contract, I'd get him out and get maybe one or two players in that might be able to come up with 10 goals each. That's what you need to do."

Ings has scored a total of 34 goals across the last two Premier League seasons, so Southampton would indeed be losing a lot of firepower if he were to leave. If they cannot replace that, yes, it could end up being a long season for the Saints.