Sports Direct ‘pleads’ with Big Four to take on auditor role

Sports Direct is “pleading” with the Big Four accountancy firms to pitch to be it auditor after it said a smaller firm wouldn’t be up to the job.

Sky News reports that the Shirebrook company has, in the last fortnight, gone back to Deloitte, EY, PwC and KPMG to ask them to take on one of the toughest jobs in the profession.

Sports Direct is set to hold what will undoubtedly be a stormy AGM today (Wednesday 11) as Mike Ashley comes under pressure from shareholders. Ashley is said to be desperate to restore some financial stability to his company after months of bad headlines.

Last month, Grant Thornton resigned as Sports Direct’s auditor a day after the retailer said that the firm was staying on as its accountant.