Colchester United's attempts to sign Alex Wynter have hit a snag, with the youngster still at Crystal Palace.

The U's had been trying to bring the versatile defender back to the Weston Homes Community Stadium for the forthcoming season, following his successful loan spell with them in the 2013-14 campaign.

Wynter impressed for Colchester, playing five games for them and helping them stay in League One.

It led to talks taking place between Joe Dunne and his Crystal Palace counterpart Tony Pulis, who managed the U's boss when he was a player at Gillingham.

But Wynter, 20, is currently still with the Eagles, with Dunne seemingly no closer in his attempts to bring him back to Colchester in time for the start of pre-season.

Dunne said: "Alex at this moment in time has gone back to Crystal Palace and that's all I can say."

Dunne had been keen to bring Wynter back to Colchester at the start of the summer.

But this week's arrival of full-backs Sean Clohessy and Ben Gordon, along with centre-back Josh Thompson signing a new one-year deal, may mean that any deal for the Eagles defender is now dead.

For all of the latest Colchester United news, see the Daily Gazette.