After initially having his move to the NASL marred by injury and the firing of the coach who brought him, Freddy Adu has battled back and is hitting his stride.

The Atlanta Silverbacks are fighting for their playoff lives in the North American Soccer League, and Saturday's clash with fellow playoff contender Tampa Bay Rowdies might be enticing enough to draw more fans than usual to Atlanta Silverbacks Park. But you can't really blame the marketing people at the Silverbacks for letting locals know that a familiar name will be roaming on the turf in Atlanta on Saturday.

"Freddy Adu is coming to town" read the email disbursed by the Silverbacks in the buildup to Saturday's match. While that might feel like a forced attempt to reference a time when Adu was still a big draw, the reality is there is a reason to put Adu on the billboard.

The former U.S. national team midfielder has quietly begun to resuscitate his career, returning from an Achilles injury that cost him months of action to help revive the Rowdies' playoff chances.

Adu delivered the game-tying assist in Tampa Bay's 1-1 draw with the Ottawa Fury last week, a result that helped keep the Rowdies in playoff position in a tight race for the final spot in the NASL postseason. Adu's latest performance earned him NASL Team of the Week honors, and marked his third overall assist, and second since returning from the injury that has limited him to just five appearances out of 13 possible matches.

Adu's recent good form has shown Tampa Bay signs of the player the Rowdies were hoping to sign when they added him during the summer. Adu arrived in the NASL with plenty to prove after failed stints in Brazil, Serbia and Finland after leaving Major League Soccer.

Adu turned to the NASL hoping to rejuvenate his career, but his tenure in Tampa Bay looked like it might be on shaky ground early on after the dismissal of Rowdies coach Thomas Rongen, who was instrumental in bringing Adu to Tampa Bay. Interim Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell plugged Adu into the starting lineup as soon as he was fully fit, and the player has started three straight matches.

Adu is not only playing to help the Rowdies qualify for the NASL playoffs, he is also playing for his future. The 26-year-old midfielder signed a 1.5-year contract with the Rowdies, but the 2016 portion of his contract is a club option that sources tell Goal USA is at a salary considerably higher than the standard NASL salary.

It remains unclear whether the Rowdies are seriously considering picking up the option year on Adu's contract, but even if the Rowdies don't do so, Adu will have his share of options. Sources have confirmed to Goal USA that multiple NASL clubs expressed interest in Adu before he settled on the Rowdies, including the Jacksonville Armada and Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The level he has shown since returning from injury has turned heads, and if he can finish out the NASL season in good form, he should have a number of options — even if the Rowdies pass on picking up his option.

Before Adu gets to that point, he still has to finish out the current season in impressive fashion. The Rowdies have three matches left in the regular season, starting with Saturday's visit to Atlanta, one of the teams Tampa Bay is trying to fend off for the final NASL playoff spot.

If Adu can help lead the Rowdies into the playoffs, and potentially further, he could be ready to take the next step toward reviving his career. MLS teams will be watching, and NASL teams will keep promoting him as a marketable player. It will be up to Adu to play like a player worthy of that attention.