Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock expects star midfielder Ben Watson to leave this summer.

But the Yorkshireman warned Iain Dowie and Queens' Park Rangers they will have to significantly up their rumoured £1.25m bid to nab the 22-year-old.

Despite offering Watson an extension to his current deal, which runs for one more year, Warnock is not optimistic he will be at Selhurst Park come August.

He said: "We have offered Ben a new contract and a very good contract but my first impressions are that he wants to try something different.

"He has gone away on holiday now and will let us know when he gets back. But to me it seemed like he is ready for a move."

Watson has previously hinted he would seek a move to a Premiership club this summer if Palace failed to gain promotion, with both Bolton Wanderers and Middlesborough linked with bids for him.

But Championship rivals QPR, managed by former Eagles boss Dowie, are also interested and Warnock, despite not having seen confirmation of the bid, said it would take a lot more than £1.25m to prise the former England U21 star away from SE25.

He said: "I do think there must be truth in it because of the Iain Dowie link but it's a bit of a derogatory offer if it is that."

Having already lost captain Mark Hudson to Charlton Athletic and top scorer Clinton Morrison looking increasingly unlikely to sign a new contract, Palace face losing the spine of their side this summer should Watson move on.

Warnock has already replaced Hudson with Patrick McCarthy though and insists he would do the same if Watson left.

He said: "It would be like Hudson, you have to get somebody better in."