Image source, PA

More than 300 staff at Bolton Wanderers could go without pay this Christmas as the club's financial problems continue. 

According to the Bolton News,, external the matter hangs on whether the club can find a new buyer in the next seven days, with other short-term funding options being investigated, which are thought to involve the hotel and offices adjoining the ground.

Bolton owe about £600,000 in unpaid taxes and have £172.9m of debt, and expect to receive a winding-up petition from Revenue & Customs soon.

We are dedicating 30 minutes to each of our contenders for the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year vote. The next contender is Serena Williams.  

Age: 34. Country: USA. Sport: Tennis.

Achievements in 2015: Serena Williams is now her country's most decorated female tennis player after winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon during 2015 - she reached the semi-final in the other Grand Slam, the US Open.

She has now won 21 career Slams, overtaking compatriots Helen Wills Moody (19), Chris Evert (18) and Billie Jean King (18), and sits just one victory behind Steffi Graf's modern-day record of 22 wins.

Why should Serena Williams win BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year? Send us your thoughts using #BBCSportsday.

Voting will require signing up for a BBC iD, but it only takes a few seconds and voting now will mean you are ready to vote for the main Sports Personality of the Year award on 20 December.

Image source, Reuters

Only one team still has a 100% win record in this season's Champions League. That team? Zenit St Petersburg. The Russians have won five out of five so far, including two victories over Spanish side Valencia and a couple of wins over French outfit Lyon. They can make that six wins out six with a victory at Gent tonight.

They are not currently having a great time of it domestically, sitting sixth in the table and seven points behind leaders CSKA Moscow. However, a trip to Russia is never high on other European teams' Champions League wish-list, especially if you a central defender and you see Hulk on the opponent's teamsheet.

Zenit are far from a one-man team, though. Artem Dzyuba has outscored his Brazilian partner in attack in Europe this season and Axel Witsel has bags of ability in midfield.

Group record: W5 D0 L0 GD8 P15

CL top-scorer: Artem Dzyuba (five)

European Cup best: Last 16 (twice)

Karen Williams:, external Jordan should win! Simply the best golfer this year!

Roeland Meijer:, external Spieth is an excellent nomination.

Image source, AFP

If rumours are to be believed, Pep Guardiola will have his pick of the Premier League clubs if and when he decides to leave Bayern Munich. First, though, he has another Bundesliga title to win and a Champions League trophy to reclaim.

Few would bet against him managing the former. Winners for the past three season, Bayern are five points clear at the top of the table. Success in the latter is less certain, even though they are through to the last 16 with a game to spare. Arsenal exposed a rare vulnerability courtesy of a 2-0 win over the German side at the Emirates (their only defeat so far in the competition this season) and while still packed full of talent they are maybe not quite at the level they were in 2012-13. 

However, when you have Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben, Arturo Vidal... I could go on... in your side, you fear no-one.

Group record: W4 D0 L1 GD14 P12

CL top-scorer: Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller (five)

European Cup best: Winners (five times)

Image source, Getty Images

Some early quotes from Mauricio Pochettino's news conference before Tottenham play Monaco in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Spurs boss does not feel the Europa League is affecting their Premier League campaign, but refuses to respond to speculation linking his side with a January move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino.

"It is a tough game," says Pochettino. "We have had Chelsea and Arsenal (after their last two Europa League games) but you know in football how you can recover.

"I never speak about rumours. There are a lot of rumours, not only at Tottenham but at different clubs, but I never say anything about players at other clubs."

West Brom and Tottenham Hotspur have both been charged by the Football Association, external for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion. 

The charge relates to an incident in the 84th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns. 

Both Premier League clubs have until 18:00 GMT on 11 December to respond to the charge. 

We are dedicating 30 minutes to each of our contenders for the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year vote. The next contender is Jordan Spieth.    

Age: 22. Country: USA. Sport: Golf.

Achievements in 2015: In the space of just 71 days, Spieth went from a promising young golfer to one who had written himself into history by winning both the Masters and the US Open - a feat achieved by only five other golfers.

He was tied for fourth at The Open and runner-up to Jason Day at the USPGA, but ended the year by winning the £7.5m Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Why should Jordan Spieth win BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year? Send us your thoughts using #BBCSportsday.

Voting will require signing up for a BBC iD, but it only takes a few seconds and voting now will mean you are ready to vote for the main Sports Personality of the Year award on 20 December.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League tie with Monaco.

Nabil Bentaleb and Nacer Chadli both return to the squad after ankle injuries.

But Mousa Dembele is sick and will miss out, while Ryan Mason is expected to start training next week.

Image source, Getty Images

There are reports that British Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford is threatening to pull out of the running for this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year event in Belfast,, external unless Tyson Fury is withdrawn from the list of nominees. 

The new world heavyweight boxing champion is facing a police investigation over comments he made about homosexuality.

Mohsin Arain:, external Won five gold medals at the world championships and broke a few world records in the process. At the age of 18.

Keir Graham:, external Ledecky to win because she didn't just dominate the World Champs but also the way she blitzed her own world records with seeming ease.

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew is lining up a club-record £15m bid for Marseille's 22-year-old Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi, according to the Sun.

Read more in BBC Sport's gossip column

We are dedicating 30 minutes to each of our contenders for the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year vote. The next contender is Katie Ledecky.    

Age: 18. Country: USA. Sport: Swimming

Achievements in 2015: Ledecky has had an incredible year, the highlight being five gold medals and two world records at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

The Olympic gold medallist won gold in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyles and the 4x200m relay. Only Ledecky's compatriot Missy Franklin has won more world titles.

Why should Katie Ledecky win BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year? Send us your thoughts using #BBCSportsday.

Voting will require signing up for a BBC iD, but it only takes a few seconds and voting now will mean you are ready to vote for the main Sports Personality of the Year award on 20 December.

Image source, Getty Images

What can we tell you about Barcelona that you don't already know? Not much.

They lead La Liga, have arguably the best player on the planet playing in attack, with two of his challengers for that crown either side of him, they cruised through Group E with a game to spare, scoring 14 goals and conceding just three, they won the damn thing last year and are the favourites to lift the trophy again this season. Does that cover it?

However, they are not invincible. Two teams have beaten them in La Liga this season: Celta Vigo and Sevilla. So if a team does catch them on a bad day (and it has to be a spectacularly bad day) then they could well throw a spanner in the works. The last team to do this in the last 16 was Liverpool in 2006-07.

Group record: W4 D1 L0 GD11 P13

CL top-scorer: Luis Suarez (5)

European Cup best: Winners (five times)

Jesse Thompson:, external Djokovic should get the BBC Overseas SPOTY, despite people's opinions on him, he has been an absolute juggernaut in tennis.

Geoff Barnes:, external Easy winner, dominated his sport and a true gent in the process.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Image source, PA

"Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has had surgery on the shoulder he dislocated in training last week.

"The decision was taken in an effort to prevent the problem recurring as Rojo suffered the same injury against Manchester City last season.

"On that occasion, Rojo did not have surgery and was out for four weeks.

"United are refusing to say how long they Rojo will be out for but a source close to the player expects it to be around four weeks.

"Rojo had his operation in England.

"Meanwhile, United are also waiting until manager Louis van Gaal holds his weekly press conference on Friday to offer any update on Matteo Darmian and Chris Smalling, who suffered hamstring and groin injuries in last night’s 3-2 defeat by Wolfsburg."

We are dedicating 30 minutes to each of our contenders for the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year vote. The next contender is Novak Djokovic.  

Age: 28. Country: Serbia. Sport: Tennis.

Achievements in 2015: It has been the most successful year to date for the world number one in tennis, with victories at the Australian Open, Wimbledonand the US Open. He also reached the final of the French Open.

In total, he has won 11 titles in 2015 - a career best - and his record of winning three Grand Slams and reaching the final in the other has not been matched since Roger Federer managed it in 2006 and 2007.

Why should Novak Djokovic win BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year? Send us your thoughts using #BBCSportsday.

Voting will require signing up for a BBC iD, but it only takes a few seconds and voting now will mean you are ready to vote for the main Sports Personality of the Year award on 20 December.

Image source, EPA

Manager Louis van Gaal has repeated his criticism that Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is not the player he was at Bayern Munich in the wake of Manchester United's Champions League exit. 

Schweinsteiger was taken off with twenty minutes to go in Wolfsburg and after the game Van Gaal said: "I took him off and I don't take players off for nothing, but we are all human beings and so is Bastian Schweinsteiger.

"He wants to play at the highest level, especially in Germany, to show his qualities, but I can't say he was the Bastian Schweinsteiger I saw during my Bayern Munich days. 

However, Van Gaal added: "I'm sure he will show his strengths this season."

The Bull 63: Because he is the best in the world at what he does. Being in the best team helps too though. 

Erick baraka:, external Dan Carter was inspirational, sensational and instrumental in lining up a back-to-back World Cup triumph.

Send us your thoughts using #BBCSportsday.