Sports Direct has signed a joint venture with football club Rangers to sell its merchandise.

The deal comes days after rival JJB Sports and Rangers terminated their selling relationship, which was inked in 2006, four years earlier than planned.

The club said the move gave it greater control over range, price and design of products than the JJB arrangement did.

Rangers merchandise will now be sold in Sports Direct’s 470 stores across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley is currently in talks to acquire a 10% stake in Rangers.

JJB paid the club £18m upfront for the original deal along with £3m per year. The ending of the arrangement will be a blow for the struggling retailer, which had identified reviving its ailing football division as key to its turnaround plan.