Imagine a professional athlete firing his agent and replacing them with artificial intelligence for one of the most critical moments of their career. That's exactly what happened in a groundbreaking move that could potentially reshape how sports contracts are negotiated. Former Manchester United youth player Demetri Mitchell has revealed he used ChatGPT as his virtual agent when securing his transfer to League One club Leyton Orient, boldly declaring the AI platform has been his "best agent to date."
Mitchell, now 28, began his professional journey at the prestigious Old Trafford, managing just one league appearance for the legendary club before continuing his career with various teams including Hearts, Blackpool, Hibernian, and most recently Exeter City. But here's where his story takes a fascinating turn that challenges conventional wisdom in professional sports.
This past summer, Mitchell made the unconventional decision to leave Exeter City and join Leyton Orient as a free agent—completely without traditional representation. In an industry where agents are considered essential intermediaries, this move was virtually unprecedented. Mitchell detailed his unique approach on the From My Left podcast, explaining: "They sent me an offer, and I started using ChatGPT, asking it how to negotiate a deal, and what to say in it."
The AI-assisted negotiation process allowed Mitchell to present his case professionally while accounting for real-life factors that many might hesitate to mention. "This is what I was on last season, moving to London, cost of living, my partner is going to move down with me, my child," he explained. "I did think I was worth a little bit more as well, but you don't want to come across as arrogant, demanding a specific amount."
And this is the part most people miss about why this approach might actually make financial sense for many athletes. Mitchell highlighted the significant financial benefit of bypassing traditional agent fees: "Because I didn't use the agent, I get that [agent fee] as a signing-on fee. An agent might have gotten me a couple hundred pounds more, but when you factor in the percentage I would have to pay them, the difference essentially disappears."
But here's where it gets controversial. Mitchell didn't just use AI for his own benefit—he launched a sweeping critique of the entire football agent industry, categorizing them into three problematic types that many lower-league players struggle with.
"There's the agent that works for an agency, who's just getting a salary, so they might not fight as hard for you," Mitchell explained. "Then you have agent number two, who works for a big agency and they're only interested in signing young, up-and-coming prospects. Once you're no longer considered a hot prospect, they lose interest completely."
He saved his strongest criticism for the third category: "And then there's agent number three, the one that's got their own business, who are just money-hungry. They just want to get moves done anywhere and as fast as possible, regardless of whether it's the right fit for the player."
This bold assessment raises challenging questions about the entire representation system in professional sports. Is the traditional agent model fundamentally broken for athletes outside the superstar tier? Mitchell certainly thinks so, stating bluntly: "When you're in the lower leagues, it's difficult to get a good agent, because that's all you've got to work with."
Mitchell's career credentials add weight to his unconventional approach. Having represented England across multiple youth levels from Under-16s to U20s, and even making the preliminary 60-man squad for Jamaica ahead of the 2025 Gold Cup, he's no novice to the business side of football. Since joining Leyton Orient, he's made eight appearances at Brisbane Road this season, though he's still chasing his first goal for the club.
So what do you think about this AI revolution in sports negotiations? Is Mitchell a pioneer showing us the future, or is he taking an unnecessary risk that could backfire for less savvy players? Could AI platforms like ChatGPT eventually replace sports agents for certain types of negotiations, or will the human element always be crucial in these high-stakes discussions? Share your thoughts in the comments below—we're genuinely curious where you stand on this growing controversy in professional sports.
