Niklas Gunnarsson
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-04-27) 27 April 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth Tønsberg, Norway
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) 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 7 (0)
International career
2013 Norway U23 4 (0)
2016 Norway 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 December 2023

Niklas Gunnarsson (born 27 April 1991) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a defender for 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.

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.

Career

Gunnarsson made his senior debut on 25 March 2012 against Sogndal, they lost the game 0–4.[2]

His contract with Odd expired after the 2013 season, and in October 2013 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 Norwegian Premier League.[4] Gunnarsson 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] Gunnarsson later left for Swedish side IF Elfsborg on a loan, a move that left several of Vålerengas fans dismayed after his several good performances in the previous season.[6]

In Sweden Gunnarsson 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, he joined Scottish Championship side Hibernian on loan until the end of the 2015–16 season.[8] He made his debut on 9 January 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, he joined Allsvenskan side Djurgårdens IF on a 2+1⁄2-year deal. He was given number 28.[13] Ahead of 2017 Gunnarsson had his shirt number changed from 28 to 5. 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 1.5-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.

On 2 September 2019, Gunnarsson joined Sarpsborg 08 on a contract until the end of the 2019 season.[16]

International career

Gunnarsson received his first international call-up from the Norway national football team for friendlies against Portugal and Belgium in May 2016, coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute against Portugal.[17][18]

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

Honours

Hibernian
Djurgårdens IF

References

  1. ^ Enger, Erik (12 August 2012). "Som far så sønn". Porsgrunns Dagblad. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Niklas Gunnarsson". altomfotball.no (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  3. ^ Berge, Grete Ingebjørg; Ekeli, Fredrik Laland; Hansen, Lars (8 October 2013). "– Veldig skuffet over Niklas' avgjørelse". NRK (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Altomfotball". Altomfotball.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  5. ^ Flygind, Kjetil (7 May 2015). "Viser total mangel på riktige holdninger". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Niklas Gunnarsson til Elfsborg". VPN. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Niklas Gunnarsson lämnar Elfsborg" (in Swedish). 24 November 2015. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  8. ^ "GUNNARSSON SIGNS FOR HIBERNIAN". Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Raith Rovers 0-2 Hibernian". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Hibernian 3-2 Rangers". BBC Sport.
  11. ^ Mullen, Scott (1 May 2016). "Hibs 2 Queen of the South 0: It's the hope that kills as road to redemption gets longer for Easter Road club". The Herald Scotland. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Scottish Cup final: Rangers 2-3 Hibernian - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  13. ^ "Niklas Gunnarsson klar för DIF" (in Swedish). 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  14. ^ "Djurgården cupmästare". 10 May 2018.
  15. ^ "GUNNARSSON È ROSANERO OGGI ALLE 16.15 LA PRESENTAZIONE" (in Italian). Palermo. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  16. ^ "NIKLAS GUNNARSSON KLAR FOR SARPSBORG 08". sarpsborg08.no/ (in Norwegian). Sarpsborg 08 FF. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  17. ^ Marshall, Alan (24 May 2016). "Hibs Scottish Cup hero Niklas Gunnarsson earns Norway call-up for Portugal clash". dailyrecord. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  18. ^ SANDBERG, FREDRIK ØKSTAD (30 May 2016). "Reagerer på Portugals skitne triks: - Det undergraver fotballen". Dagbladet.no (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 17 June 2016.

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