Owusu-Abeyie seals Cardiff move

Cardiff City have bolstered their Championship play-off bid with the signing of Ghana international Quincy Owusu-Abeyie on loan The former Arsenal midfielder has joined from Russian side Spartak Moscow for the rest of the season.

The 22-year-old scored against Cardiff while Owusu-Abeyie was on loan at Birmingham City earlier this season.

"He's a good player with great pedigree who can play up front and on the wing," said Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale.

Owusu-Abeyie was a member of the renowned Ajax youth academy in his home-town of Amsterdam for nine years and was picked up by Arsenal after he was released from the Dutch giants.

He was highly-rated by Arsenal but failed to break into the first-team on a regular basis and joined Spartak Moscow in January 2006.

Owusu-Abeyie played on loan at Spanish club Celta Vigo before impressing in a temporary spell at Birmingham City but he left St Andrew's earlier this month. Cardiff confirmed the former Dutch under-21 international as their second January transfer window signing on Saturday after sealing a permanent deal for Chris Burke from Scottish club Rangers.

"We are pleased to have completed the deal," Ridsdale told BBC Sport. Owusu-Abeyie is not eligible for Cardiff's Championship fixture with Nottingham Forest at Ninian Park on Saturday.

"Quincy will link up with the squad on Monday in readiness to prepare for our Championship encounter with Charlton next Saturday," said a Cardiff statement. Cardiff fans hope that Owusu-Abeyie will not be a replacement for Welsh international midfielder Joe Ledley who has been linked with moves to Premier League sides Wigan Athletic, West Ham United and Stoke City.