Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group to hand nearly £21m to incoming chief

Sports Direct owner's head of elevation' Michael Murray is engaged to founder's daughter

The incoming boss of the Sports Direct owner Frasers Group has been handed his biggest ever payout, netting a near-21m consultancy fee as he prepares to take over from the founder, Mike Ashley, next month.

Michael Murray, the Frasers head of elevation", who is engaged to Ashley's daughter Anna, is being handed a cash payment three times larger than any previous sum he has earned from Sports Direct. It is being made under a controversial agreement in which Murray is paid a consultancy fee based on value generated under property deals made for the company.