Paper Round: Sam Allardyce could face FA ban

Sam Allardyce could face disciplinary action from the FA, according to the Daily Mail. The report says that Allardyce could face a lengthy ban from football once the police have finished their investigation into the sting published in the Telegraph, as Allardyce offered advice to get around FA rules in a hidden camera expose. The FA's chief executive Martin Glenn admitted he could be charged once the authorities were done with their investigation.

Paper Round's view: The deluge of stories in this saga have probably forced the FA's hand to come down hard on Allardyce, who realistically could have had another Premier League gig before the season is over. All that aside, this is the right mentality from the FA in that it needs to start nipping this behaviour in the bud with some tough precedents.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and club owner Roman Abramovich are planning a spending spree in January, according to the Daily Mail. The report says that Conte met with the club chairman at Chelsea's training base to organise future plans. Conte reportedly feels as if he has inherited an outdated squad, with Abramovich ready to back Conte in the next transfer window.

Paper Round's view: Perhaps Antonio Conte is trying to buy time, but in this instance it's hard to disagree. A lot of these players look as if their best football is behind them - especially that back four, which needs to be refreshed entirely. Abramovich has to give the project time also, as his often knee-jerk reactions to poor form can cause more problems than they solve.

United legend Ryan Giggs has been in secret meetings with Swansea honchos, according to the Sun. The report says that Giggs had a top secret meeting with Swansea's chairman Huw Jenkins and the club's American investors in a London hotel. Giggs is keen on the post but has to convince the Swansea hierarchy that he has the experience required to take the job.

Paper Round's view: News like this means Guidolin is all but gone. Even if he can prolong his demise, he now has a stalking horse and ironically it's like what Van Gaal had to deal with last year with Jose Mourinho. While Giggs is still entirely unproven, it'll still be fascinating to see if he can inspire the Welsh club back into form.

New City boss Pep Guardiola is already in line for a contract extension, according to the Mirror. The report says the Catalan is open to extending his stay at Eastlands, if the manager can lead the club to trophies. Guardiola is just three months into his three-year deal, and is reportedly in negotiations to extend his stay at the club.

Paper Round's view: Pep doesn't like getting bogged down for long, as his exhaustive style and attention to detail can grind on him and those around him. That said, the three initial years would only allow Pep to build success at the club's top level. If he's there for say, five to six years, he can also reform the entire youth system which has struggled to produce top-line players for the club.