CHICAGO — McDonald’s is close to finalizing a deal to relocate its longtime headquarters to Chicago’s Near West Side, a move that could take place as soon as 2018, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.

The world’s largest burger chain plans to keep part of Oprah Winfrey’s old four-building Harpo Studio complex and build additional space as well, the source said.

New details about the move came Thursday even as McDonald’s remained silent and officials in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, the current site of the fast food giant’s corporate headquarters, wrung their hands over the loss of their premier corporate resident. McDonald’s employs more than 2,000 people in the village.

Rumors that McDonald’s may relocate some or all of its corporate workforce to Chicago have swirled for months, and CEO Steve Easterbrook didn’t rule out a possible move at the company’s shareholder meeting last week. Easterbrook said a move downtown would make it easier to recruit younger city dwellers.