United's Zaha loaned to Cardiff

London - Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha has been loaned to Cardiff City until the end of the season, the Welsh club's manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, announced on Friday.

Zaha, 21, signed for United from Crystal Palace in a deal worth £15ma year ago before being loaned back to the London club.

He played a starring role as Palace were promoted to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs, but has barely featured since linking up with United, making only two substitute appearances in the league this season.

"That signing should be done by now. His name is on the paperwork. He is a Cardiff player," said Solskjaer, the former United striker.

"He has pace, power, technical ability and goes past people. He will give us that extra change of tempo in the final third, where we really need it."

Zaha becomes Cardiff's sixth signing of the January transfer window, after Brazilian full-back Fabio da Silva, Trinidad and Tobago striker Kenwyne Jones, and Norwegian trio Magnus Wolff Eikrem, Mats Moller Daehli and Jo Inge Berget.

Despite Zaha's failure to make an impact at Old Trafford, Solskjaer said the England international was not under any pressure to prove his ability.

"I don't think he has something to prove. He wants to play," said the Norwegian.

"He played a few games at United, but maybe not what he hoped for when he went there. He wants to play, to play with confidence, and keep Cardiff in the Premier League."