Championship promotion contenders Reading manager Brian McDermott has insisted Brynjar Gunnarsson has no desire to leave the Madejski Stadium.

Gunnarsson has only featured twice for the Royals in a season littered with injuries, but McDermott stressed the 36-year-old wants to fight for his place in the team.

He told the club's official website: "I spoke to him the other day. He's not playing games but he's so important around the place.

"He doesn't want to go anywhere so I'm happy with that.

"If he said to me he wanted to play, I'd have to facilitate that at his age, but he likes being around here and it's just great to have him.

"He's so important, as we saw last season against Man City when he was outstanding at centre half. The games he's played all over, he's an outstanding human being."