Reading manager Brian McDermott told BBC Berkshire: "You can't have enough good people and Brynjar and Ivar Ingimarsson are top people.
"It's not just what they give you on the pitch, but off the pitch with the younger players."
McDermott continued: "It's the way they conduct themselves. There's no ranting and raving. They know what they're doing and they know what it takes to win games."
Gunnarsson said: "To get another year at Reading was obviously very much my first option and I am delighted with the new deal. It will be a pleasure to be a Reading player for another year.
"We didn't have the best of starts last season, but we got ourselves together and Brian did a fantastic job.
"We proved, to ourselves first and foremost, that we can really compete in this league - that was the important bit. Now we have to build on that and hopefully we can have a real go at this division in 2010/11."
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport