Fifa’s deputy secretary general Markus Kattner has been sacked due to financial irregularities, football’s world governing body has announced.

Kattner, Fifa’s former financial director, was appointed on an interim basis last summer after the previous secretary general Jerome Valcke was suspended from his post.

Valcke was subsequently banned from all football-related activity for 12 years after being found guilty of a series of financial offences.

A statement read: “Fifa’s Deputy Secretary General Markus Kattner has been dismissed from his position effective immediately.

“Fifa’s internal investigation uncovered breaches of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection with his employment contract.

“Fifa will not comment further on any of the details, but will continue its co-operation with the relevant authorities.”

The move comes less than two weeks after the organisation appointed its first female secretary general in Senegal’s Fatma Samoura to replace Valcke.