Sports Direct, whose chief executive is retail tycoon Mike Ashley, is poised to make a surprise £30 million swoop for Brixton’s vibrant market, the Evening Standard can reveal.

The Sports Direct shops empire is understood “to be the front-runner” to snap up Brixton Village and Market Row, which are home to 140 retailers and restaurants, according to property sources.

The purchase is likely to be made through a Sports Direct vehicle, rather than by Ashley personally. He is currently attempting to sell Newcastle United.

The talks come four months after it emerged that a company linked to Sports Direct had bought land nearby, between two Brixton railway lines.

One source said Ashley’s strategy could echo that of Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, who has snapped up swathes of Camden to bring its markets under one ownership. He has helped stallholders to launch online sales.

The Brixton Market properties generate rental income of £1.3 million per year, and longer term could potentially give Sports Direct scope to open some stores there.

The scheme is being sold by property agents GCW and Lewis & Partners on behalf of listed landlord London & Associated Properties.

They declined to comment, as did Sports Direct.

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