Omar Khadr could be back in Canada by the end of May after a nearly decade-long stay in Guantanamo Bay, The Canadian Press is reporting.

A source told CP that U.S. Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta would sign off on a deal to move Khadr within a week.

"It's on his desk, it's ready," the source said Wednesday. "The U.S. has no concerns about (Khadr)."

Pentagon spokesman Lt.-Col. Todd Breasseale told CP that Panetta was waiting for Ottawa to approve their end of the deal.

"It's a matter of ongoing, very sensitive discussion and consideration that involves everything from public safety to diplomacy," Breasseale said.

Khadr, 25, pleaded guilty to five war crimes charges. The charges stemmed from incidents that occurred in Afghanistan a decade ago, when Khadr was 15 years old. Khadr's supporters said that he was only a child soldier at the time, brainwashed by his extremist father, and should never have been on trial.

John Norris, Khadr's Canadian lawyer, said his client is "anxious" at the prospect of returning to Canada.

"He's been waiting for an awfully long time for this to come," Norris told CTV News Channel Wednesday night. "And certainly any sort of news that it may be imminent is good news for him."

Norris said he won't know which corrections facility Khadr will be transferred to until his client is back in Canada.

Lt.-Col. Jon Jackson, Khadr's U.S. military lawyer, said his client is skeptical that he will be returning to Canada soon.

"He's frustrated with the amount of time it's taking for the Canadian and United States governments to effectuate his transfer," he told News Channel.

The Canadian government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been slow to approve the transfer, which was submitted about a year ago.

Norris called the delays "regrettable," and said he hopes there are no further setbacks.

"Anything can happen, and sadly, this case has proven that to be true," he said. "But we also think that it's so close to the finish now that really everybody should be working hard to make sure (there are no) further delays."

Both Norris and Jackson said Khadr's family are hopeful that he will return to Canada so they can visit him in person.

Khadr pleaded guilty to five war-crimes charges in 2010, including murder in connection with the death of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer.

He admitted to throwing a grenade during a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan that killed Speer, and also confessed to planting roadside bombs and receiving weapons training from al Qaeda.