Contract talks between Crystal Palace and their captain Mark Hudson have broken down for a second time.

It now seems unlikely the big defender will sign a new deal at the club and he could walk away for nothing at the end of the season when his current contract runs out.

Hudson was dropped for last month's home match against Colchester United because of a dispute over his new deal, but even though talks restarted after that it seems they have stalled again.

Manager Neil Warnock said: "We will wait until the end of the season with Mark now. He's not happy and at the moment he is not going to accept the contract that we have offered him."

Hudson has had a fine season at the heart of the Palace defence, playing every minute apart from the Colchester game and taking over the captain's armband from Carl Fletcher.

Those performances will no doubt have caught the eye of other managers and Hudson should have no shortage of suitors come May.

One player that Warnock is hopeful of keeping at Selhurst Park is goalkeeper Julian Speroni, whose contract also runs out at the end of the current campaign.

He said: "We have had extended talks with him but there's only five games to go and although I would like him to sign by the end of the season it's more important that we get on with these games now.

"We have spoken to him and I think he was quite happy with everything."