Former Manchester United player Demetri Mitchell recently shared that he used ChatGPT to help negotiate his contract with his current team, Leyton Orient, a London-based football club.
After parting ways with Exeter City, Mitchell found himself without representation and decided to take a different approach. During an episode of the podcast ‘From My Left’, he revealed that he turned to ChatGPT for assistance when the opportunity to join Leyton Orient came up. “I started using ChatGPT,” Mitchell explained, asking it for tips on how to negotiate, what points to raise, and how to structure the conversation.
To make the advice more tailored, Mitchell input specific information about his career, his experience as a professional footballer, and his personal situation — including the cost of living in London with his family. He admitted that while an agent might have negotiated a slightly better deal, the commission he’d have to pay them would have canceled out most of the gains.
Mitchell also shared that he had a difficult discussion with his agent, letting him know he would not be renewing their agreement. After trying unsuccessfully to sign with a new representative, he took the initiative to reach out directly to clubs himself.
Using text messages, Mitchell contacted various coaches and managers, hoping for a chance. Eventually, his message reached Richie Wellens, head coach at Leyton Orient, who responded positively.
Following their conversation, Wellens passed Mitchell’s name to the club’s sporting director, who later contacted him to begin contract negotiations. All of this happened without traditional agent involvement.
Now 28 years old, Mitchell has played professional football since his youth days with Manchester United, representing the club between 2007 and 2020. He currently competes in League One, the third tier of English football.
Interestingly, Mitchell isn’t the only athlete turning to AI tools. American pool player Fedor Gorst also revealed that he uses ChatGPT to cope with the psychological pressures of the sport. Gorst, who won the World Pool Masters in 2024, said the AI helps him stay mentally focused during high-stakes matches.
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