Gunnarsson has featured just twice for Reading this season and has recently been linked with a move away from the club.
“I spoke to him the other day. He’s not playing games but he’s so important around the place,” McDermott told the club’s official website.
“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.”
