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Marseille president Pape Diouf has said they are struggling to bring in new players amid rumours of internal trouble at the Ligue 1 runners-up.

L'OM were pipped to the title by Bordeaux, but an otherwise impressive season saw them qualify for the Champions League as the two southern clubs broke Lyon's dominance in Le Championnat.

But despite landmark campaigns, both sides are finding it tough to build squads capable of challenging for European honours.

Bordeaux are losing players due to a perception that they are a smaller club, while L'OM are being hampered by an alleged feud between Diouf and the club's head of scouting and development, Vincent Labrune.

The surprise exit of coach Eric Gerets, who grew frustrated at owner Robert-Louis Dreyfus's lack of commitment to securing his long-term future, did not help, although new manager Didier Deschamps is expected to attract top players.

"I have to strongly confirm that we are focusing all our efforts on the perilous exercise that represents recruitment and that we are turning our attention to our principal aim," former agent Diouf told La Provence.

"But at the same time - and with regards to our intermediaries - this can pose several problems. It is difficult both at a local and international level because people ask questions about what is happening at the club.

"This makes it quite hard to manage."

There has even been speculation that Diouf could leave Marseille, but he insisted that he is fully committed to strengthening the squad.

"We are looking for a central defender and a midfielder," he added.

"We are in the process of analysing and targeting signings, we are working hard across our departments but we are still not at the stage of being able to make concrete offers."

Marseille have been linked with Porto's Argentina midfielder Lucho Gonzalez and compatriot Gabriel Heinze, who is tipped to leave Real Madrid this summer.

Reda Maher / Eurosport