Niklas Gunnarsson

Niklas Gunnarsson
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-04-27) 27 April 1991 (age 33)
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 20 (0)
International career
2013 Norway U23 4 (0)
2016 Norway 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2024

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.

Club career

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Early football career in Norway

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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

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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

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

International career

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Gunnarsson received his first international call-up from the Norway national football team for friendly matches against Portugal and Belgium in May 2016.[17] He made his only appearance against the former on the 29th day.[18]

Career statistics

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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

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Hibernian
Djurgårdens IF

References

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  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. ^ "2014 Vålerengas Season". Altomfotball.no. TV 2. 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 Norway. 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". Hibernian F.C. 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 Glasgow. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Scottish Cup final: Rangers 2-3 Hibernian". BBC Sport. 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". Djurgårdens IF (in Swedish). 10 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Gunnarsson è Rosanero Oggi Alle 16.15 La Presentazione". Palermo (in Italian). 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  16. ^ "Niklas Gunnarsson Klar For Sarpsborg 08". Sarpsborg 08 FF (in Norwegian). 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". Daily Record UK. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  18. ^ Aas, Odd Inge (29 May 2016). "Høgmo slapp ikke til spilleren "alle" ville se". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian). Mot det fjerde best rangerte laget i Europa slapp landslagssjefen til hele fem debutanter. Anders Trondsen og Veton Berisha fra start, Iver Fossum, Alexander Sørloth og Niklas Gunnarsson fra benken. [Against the fourth best-ranked team in Europe, national team manager [Per-Mathias Høgmo] introduced five debutants. Anders Trondsen and Veton Berisha from the start; Iver Fossum, Alexander Sørloth, and Niklas Gunnarsson from the bench.]
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