In a groundbreaking move, Demetri Mitchell, the former Manchester United prospect, has revealed he used ChatGPT to handle his contract negotiations at Leyton Orient, bypassing the need for an agent and pocketing extra cash in the process. Mitchell, now 28, had been on the books at Old Trafford but never made an impact on the first-team stage.
AFPMitchell opens up on secret to contract success
Mitchell had brief stints at Hearts, Blackpool, Hibs, and Exeter City before landing at Leyton Orient this summer. But it’s his unconventional approach to contract talks that’s now turning heads across football.
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Instead of relying on a traditional football agent to secure a lucrative deal, Mitchell decided to tap into technology. The U17 Euros winner turned to ChatGPT, asking the AI to guide him through the negotiation process with his new club. The result? A two-year deal that’s more financially rewarding than expected, with no agent fees to be paid.
AFPMitchell breaks down the steps
Mitchell explained in a candid interview on the podcast how he employed ChatGPT to craft the perfect message and provide insight into what he was entitled to.
"Orient sent me an offer and then I started using ChatGPT, asking them how to negotiate the deal and what to say in it," he began. "I asked it, ‘This is what I was on last season. I’m moving to London, so what is the cost of living? My missus is going to move down with me with my little one’. I did think I was worth a little bit more. But you don’t want to be like, ‘I think I should be earning X amount’. And then because I didn’t use an agent, I get that as a signing-on fee."
Skipping agent fees – £15 a month vs. 5% commission
What really caught attention, however, is how Mitchell avoided the typical 5% agent fee, which can sometimes be a hefty sum. Instead, by using ChatGPT’s premium service for just £15 a month, he managed to secure a better signing-on fee, putting more money directly into his pocket. The footballer believes ChatGPT has done more for him than any agent ever could.
“ChatGPT has been my best agent to date," he endorsed. "Agent fees are 5 per cent. ChatGPT is £15 per month for premium. Footballers’ finances are a lot different from what most people realise.”
Despite the high-profile image of footballers, Mitchell was quick to demystify the supposed glamour of the game, especially for those playing outside the Premier League. The Leyton Orient star opened up about the financial struggles that many EFL players face, particularly those in League One or below, where short-term contracts and low wages can create a fragile financial situation.
"People have this thing about footballers being paid so well, and we are very fortunate," he said. "But there's a big difference between somebody earning two or three grand a week that's a professional footballer and somebody earning two or three grand a week that's a doctor.
"The difference is the doctor is guaranteed pretty much [that amount] until he's 65, whereas players in the EFL from League One downwards are on one or two-year contracts. Let's say you're getting three grand a week – you're getting taxed 45 per cent, and then you've got five percent agent fees. You've only seen half of that, so you've got £1,500 that you're getting in a week. Don't get me wrong it's a good amount of money, but when you've got a mortgage and a car, and then your missus can't work because she's living away from Manchester, your expenses are very high."
