According to reports in Abu Dhabi, the Brazilian will join the ambitious club to help their bid in securing the league title.

The second period of registration of foreign players will open in a few days and Al Jazira is looking to replace forward Bonaventure Kalou with Washington.  

Kalou, whose elder brother Solomon Kalou plays for Chelsea, has been largely disappointing for his club.

He left French Ligue 1 side Lens after making only five appearances. Al Jazira swooped in on the Ivorian when they learnt about his availability in September.  

They paid Lens €1.5million (US$2.2million) to sign him, where he was expected to star alongside former Holland midfielder Philip Cocu. Kalou, however, has failed to live up to his price tag and reputation – missing several matches through injury.

Washington, on the other hand, helped Urawa to their AFC Champions League triumph this season.

Also, his goals in the recent FIFA Club World Cup tournament were instrumental in his team’s victory over African Champions League winner Etoile Sahel, where the J-League side secured a third-place finish.

Despite two successful years at the club, he chose to leave the Japanese side and return to Brazil Fluminense.

His stint in Japan, however, showcased his remarkable scoring abilities.

Washington, whose full name is Washington Stecanelo Cerqueira, first came to East Asia in 2005. He joined Tokyo Verdy, where he scored 22 goals in 33 matches. The following season, he signed for Urawa, finding the net 42 times in 52 appearances.

Samuel Zhang