The retailer has been dubbed "the IKEA of sports retailing."

French sports retailer Decathlon is set to kick off its commercial presence in Ireland with the introduction of nine new stores planned for Dublin, Cork and Galway.

The company, which has been called "the IKEA of sports retailing" in the past is set to employ a surplus of 500 staff with the opening of the new stores.

However, this move wasn't without its trouble. Decathlon considered branching out into Ireland several years ago, but backed away quite suddenly just before the country's financial crisis broke.

It has recently established its first Irish office in Sandyford and now boasts a dedicated Irish e-commerce website.

The retailer plans to open their Irish stores some time in 2019.

According to Decathlon Ireland's CEO Bastien Grandgeorge, the company is close to negotiating a deal for a 2,000-5,000sq m store on the outskirts of Dublin.

Following the opening of the Dublin store, Grandgeorge will then look to open in both Galway and Cork. Pending their success, a further two stores may then follow in Dublin, as well as another three around the country.

Irish consumers already have the ability to shop Decathlon's huge range online. Sportswear enthusiasts may even already be familiar with some of the 62 brands they stock, including Kipsta, Tribord, Artengo and Quechua.