This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Transfers beyond Sarpsborg 08 are missing. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2024)
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 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]
^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.]