Niklas Gunnarsson
Norwegian footballer (born 1991)
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Niklas Gunnarsson (born 27 April 1991) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a defender for Swiss club Yverdon-Sport. Gunnarsson has previously played for Norwegian clubs Odd, Vålerenga, Sarpsborg 08, and Strømsgodset, Swedish clubs Elfsborg, Djurgårdens IF, and IFK Norrköping, Scottish club Hibernian, and Italian club Palermo and Swiss club Yverdon-Sport.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 April 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Tønsberg, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Yverdon-Sport | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pors | |||
| Walsall | |||
| Odd | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Odd | 48 | (3) |
| 2014–2016 | Vålerenga | 41 | (4) |
| 2015 | → Elfsborg (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2016 | → Hibernian (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2016–2018 | Djurgårdens IF | 55 | (2) |
| 2019 | Palermo | 0 | (0) |
| 2019 | Sarpsborg 08 | 10 | (0) |
| 2020–2023 | Strømsgodset | 67 | (0) |
| 2023 | IFK Norrköping | 11 | (0) |
| 2023– | Yverdon-Sport | 31 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Xamax (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2013 | Norway U23 | 4 | (0) |
| 2016 | Norway | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 May 2026 | |||
He is the son of former football manager Ronny Geson Gunnarsson.[1] He is known for his trademark long throw-ins, good crossing ability and offensive play.
Club career
Early football career in Norway
On 25 March 2012, Gunnarsson made his senior debut for Odd BK against Sogndal in a 0–4 loss.[2] Gunnarsson's contract with expired after the 2013 season, after which he signed a three-year contract with Vålerenga and joined the club in January 2014.[3]
Gunnarsson was Vålerengas' first-choice right-back during the 2014 season, starting 29 out of 30 matches in the Eliteserien.[4] He fell out of the team in the following season, after coach Kjetil Rekdal made several changes after a poor display from the team in the Norwegian Football Cup.[5]
Abroad transfers
Gunnarsson left Norway for Swedish football club IF Elfsborg on a loan move that left Vålerengas fans disappointed after some of his good performances in the previous season.[6] He played 11 matches in the Allsvenskan, scoring one goal and assisting another.
"Niklas is an extremely professional player both on and off the pitch and he has done a great job for Elfsborg in his time here. He has been held in high esteem by his team mates and I would like to give him the best recommendations and wish him the best of luck in the future"' – Elfsborg head coach Magnus Haglund speaking about Gunnarsson leaving the club.[7]
On 5 January 2016, Gunnarsson joined Scottish Championship side Hibernian on loan until the end of the 2015–16 season.[8] He debuted on the ninth day in a Scottish Cup fourth round 2–0 win against Raith Rovers.[9] His first goal for the club was the third goal in a 3–2 win against Rangers on 20 April.[10] Gunnarsson also recorded a goal against Queen of the South on 1 May.[11] He appeared as a substitute when Hibs won the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902 in the 2016 Scottish Cup Final.[12]
On 9 August 2016, Gunnarsson joined Allsvenskan side Djurgårdens IF on a 2+1⁄2-year contract.[13] Initially given the number 28 shirt, he changed it to number 5 ahead of the 2017 season.[citation needed] On 10 May 2018, he played as Djurgarden beat Malmö FF 3-0 in the Swedish Cup Final.[14]
On 1 March 2019, Gunnarsson signed a half-year contract with Italian club Palermo.[15] Following Palermo's exclusion from the Serie B, he was released together with all other players, without making any single appearances during his short stay at the club.[citation needed]
Return to Norway
On 2 September 2019, Gunnarsson joined Sarpsborg 08 on a contract until the end of the 2019 season.[16]
Xamax
On 13 February 2025, Gunnarsson was loaned by Xamax in Swiss second tier.[17]
International career
Gunnarsson received his first international call-up from the Norway national football team for friendly matches against Portugal and Belgium in May 2016.[18] He made his only appearance against the former on the 29th day.[19]
Career statistics
- As of 27 April 2023
| Club | Season | Division | League | Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Odd | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | 26 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 0 | – | 30 | 2 | |||
| Total | 48 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 3 | ||
| Vålerenga | 2014 | Tippeligaen | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 31 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | 13 | 2 | |||
| Total | 41 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 4 | ||
| Elfsborg | 2015 | Allsvenskan | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 | 1 | |
| Hibernian | 2015–16 | Scottish Championship | 15 | 2 | 5 | 0 | – | 15 | 2 | |
| Djurgårdens IF | 2016 | Allsvenskan | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 1 | – | 27 | 1 | |||
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 55 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 63 | 3 | ||
| Palermo | 2018–19 | Serie B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Sarpsborg 08 | 2019 | Eliteserien | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Strømsgodset | 2020 | Eliteserien | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 21 | 1 | |||
| 2022 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 1 | – | 26 | 1 | |||
| Total | 67 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 2 | ||
| Norrköping | 2023 | Allsvenskan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career Total | 248 | 12 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 278 | 15 | ||